
Book_--C-S7g//f- 










^niiiiiiMniiiK^ 







(Copyrighted.) WHYUCTAN SWALAMESETT. 



HISTORY 



AND 



FOLKLORE 



OF THE 



COWICHAN INDIANS 

COVER AND ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARGARET C. MACLURE, 

^CI^-Jl.. niOcMicX ^i-QAC^^ 

'I .. (1 



Entered according to Act of Parliament of Canada, 
in ttie year One Ttiousand Nine Hundred and One, 
by Martfia Douglas Harris, Victoria, B. C, at the 
Department of Agriculture, Ottawa. X X X X 



VfCTORIA, B. C. 

Tfie Cofonist Printing and Publistiing Company, Limited Liability, 

190L 



^q 



C 



CHE history ami It'jjeiuls (if the ludianf; of tlie Pat'ifif 
Northwest is t'si>ec"ially interestiiifr from the fact that tliey 
have not been so long or so closely in tonch with the white 
races as the other aboriginal inhabitants of North America. 
This little volume deals with the Cowichan tribe of Vancou- 
ver Island, who, from being a numerous and powerful people, 
are now reduced to a mere handful. Civilization is destroy- 
ing their native dignity and whole.«ome life, substituting 
much evil for tlie real good found in tlieir former customs and 
character. Their legends are fast being forgotton, and as a 
contribution towards their preservation, I have translated 
them as a memento of British Columbia. 

M. I). H. 



Zi 



7'7 



hi 



THE STOKY OF THE FIRST MAN ON EARTH 

The first man on earth was named Quiltumtun. 
How very happy he was; everything was so beauti- 
ful. At last he began to feel a want in his happy 
life; there was something wanting; there was no 
one to cook for him and no one to take an interest in 
him. So he resolved to make a companion — one like 
himself, only not as strong, but one who would wait 
for him and cook for him. He set to work to carry 
out his ideas. He chose a fine piece of wood; it was' 
a yew, and after a great deal of trouble made him an 
image of a woman. He covered the skin with herbs 
and made flesh. He could scarcely keep from shout- 
ing for joy. Here at last was a friend who should 
help him. This wooden friend could now only nod 
its head and roll its eyes; there was no life in it, 
though the skin felt warm. How could he make it 
perfect ? 

Whilst he was so busy, he forgot to eat; and at 
last, being hungry, he went to his larder and found 
it empty, thus was compelled to go out hunting, so 
before leaving he made fire, and, placing the image 
before it, told the wooden friend that she must not 
let the fire go out; and, placing the materials for a 
basket before her, told her to finish it before he 
came home, so that she might keep busy till he 
returned 



At evening, weary and worn, he returned home, 
to find the lire had gone out, and the basket was Ptill 
unmade. The friend nodded her head and smiled, 
but he got angry and slapped her face. The next day 
he went out again, and left the same things for her 
to do. 

The birds had carried the news of Quiltumtu7i's 
woe den wife as far as Sooke, where lived two women 
also alone; and when they heard jf Quiltumtun they 
hurried to Cowichan and there found the lodia? au'.l 
the wooden woman sitting calmly before the remains 
of the fire, and also the materials for a basket before 
her. They set to work then and finished the basket 
and set it before her, and made the fire and C(i«)ked 
the meat, and then hid, so as to see what Quiltumtun 
wculd do. Soon he came home, bringing a 
large elk wuth him, and what joy was his to 
find that his wife had been able to do so much. Oh, 
he was so pleased. The next day he went off again, 
and left another basket to be made. Then the women 
came in and made the basket, and put the woman on 
the top of the lodge. Wlien Quiltumtun came 
home he looked everywhere for his wife, and at last 
found her. How angry he was, and asked her how 
she had got up there. There w^as no answer, and the 
]>oor fellow did not know what to make of it. 

Well, the fourth time he went off hunting, the 
two friends came in and took the image outside, 
where they had made a large fire, and, throwing it 
in, let it burn, when it exploded with a loud noise. 

That was the end of the wooden friend. They 
then finished the task of basket-making, and wlien 
it was near the time that (Quiltumtun was in the 
habit of returning, they made a fire and cooked meat 



for liim, and then hid themselves, to see what would 
liappen. When he came home he found a bright 
lire burning and his supper cooking, but no wife 
anywhere to be seen. So he began to hunt about 
the lodge, inside and out, and at last found the two 
women, who confessed what they had done. 

He liked them so well that he asked them to 
marry him. They lived very happily, and from them 
thu Cowichans are descended. 



S0WITTA:N", ok the OrvUMBLER. 

In olden times people had no canoes, as-they have 
now-a-days, but used big logs for going about with. 
They had to trust to the tides and currents to take 
them to the islands they wished to visit. Now, there 
lived a man Avhose name was Sowittan, who lived at 
Chemainus. Word had come to him that at Stitless, 
or New Westminster, there dwelt a fair maiden, and 
lie became so eager to see her that he determined 
to cross the Gulf, which Avas almost impassable 
on account of the huge and terrible serpents and 
fish that lived there. However, nothing daunted, 
Sowittan started off on his big log ; but when 
he got to the Gulf he had to turn back, as he 
could not cross; so home again he came, and hunted 
for all the poisonous herbs he could gather, and tied 
them into bundles and put them on his log, and 
started again. This time he was successful, as he 
kept the monsters busy with the bundles of herbs 
that he threw them, and so crossed the Gulf in safety. 



On the Nortli Ann there lived a man calh^ii 
HjinayninU, the first man \vh(» was ma(h' tlicre. He 
had a hirge family now, and when Sowittan eame he 
was glad to see him. After many days' feasting and 
dj^ncing, Sowittan claimed the maiden, who was glad 
to have snch a brave husband. Sowittan now made 
ready for the voyage home. He colle<'ted fresii 
poisonous herbs and tied them on; then he and iii^, 
bride sat on the log, and so off for home. The mon- 
stei*s tried to devour them, but the herbs had the 
power to quiet them, and so Sowittan crossed the 
(lulf safely. The currents took them into all the 
little bays and harbors. After this long voyage they 
reached home and were wannly welcomed by their 
friends. 

One day when Sowittan was busy trying to dry 
fish, two men appeared coming down from the clouds. 
How frightened he was, but they made signs to him 
not to be alarmed. Then they asked hini what his 
name was. 

" Oh, it is Sowittan, or the man who grumbles." 

" Why, what have yon to grumble about ? " said 
they. 

'" Oh, everything." 

"Well, tell us them, and perhaps we can liclp 
you. Our name is Haalees, or si)irit men. N«t\v. yon 
have a wife; you must be enjoying yourself." 

" Xo, indeed, I have mucli to trouble about. You 
see me now trying to dry this fish; well, it is far too 
big, and before I have finished, it begins to decay. 
The herrings are all too big; everything is too large, 
'['he deer are so big that we cannot eat them, and they 
haye to rot. Everything was made wrongly; T could 
do better mvself. The mountains are so bii^ T can't 



sec over the tops, and so high that I cannot get a 
hreath of wind from the big sea. Everything is so 
dry, no rain; and yet the land is so swampy that 
every time I take a step I almost fall in. Then I am 
too big too." 

After Sowittan had finished his long string of 
troubles, the Haalees said : 

" Xow, Sowittan, let us go over and consult your 
father-in-law; perhaps he will not think as you do." 

So they all went off on Sowittan's log, and went 
to visit Hajiaymult and get his opinion. ^ At first 
Hanaymult thought that everything was just right, 
but maybe the sturgeon were too large ; in fact it was 
impossible to use them, so fishing was bad. 

So the Haalees promised that they would make 
the world over again so as to suit them. They gave 
Sowittan a slingshot and hard black stone. " Xow," 
said Haalees, " shoot at the mountains till you are 
satisfied with them." 

Then he took the sling and stone and peppered 
away at the mountains. The tops flew off and fell 
into^ the sea with a tremendous noise ; the waters 
boiled furiously, and up came islands; that is how 
there are so many islands along the coast. The fish 
died in the sea, and the plains were burnt up. 

" Now, Sowittan, how does this please you ?" 

" AVell, I don't know yet. I will go to the top of 
the hills and look if I can see the big water." 

By and by he came back, quite joyfully. He was 
almost satisfied. 

" Xow for the swampy places. Take these slates 
and stick them in the ground, and then walk on them 
and see if you sink." 

So Sowittan did as he was told, and to his joy the 



10 

plain was made hard so that he could walk without 
siiiking in the earth. When he returned he said: 
'" Haalees, this is just what I want. Make me small 
too, and I shall be happy." 

So Haalees granted him his wish, and in an in- 
stant he grew shorter, but shouted: '" Stop! Stop! I 
don't want to be too small." 

So they made him the height that men now grow. 
After this the Haalees or spirits went up to Heaven. 
Sowittan became happy and the father of many 
people. 



THE STORY OF THE FLOOD BY THE 
COWICHAX INDIANS. 

Tn the days after '* Sowittan, or the (iruniltler,*' 
the people were so numerous that they spread all over 
the land, till the hunting became scarce. The Cowi- 
chan, Saanich, Kuper Island and Xanaimo people 
increased so rapidly that they began to quarrel over 
their boundaries. They had also increased their store 
of knowledge, and were becoming skilled in the art 
of shaping paddles, weaving baskets, dressing skins, 
and making dresses from cedar bark, which they 
wove into stout material for the purpose. The canoes 
Avcre still logs, but they began to use clam-shells to 
shape them with. They were blunt at both ends, 
just like scows. 

Thoy also had wise men, who had power to i\»re- 
t(ll the future, and these men were greatly troubled 



11 



on account of certain dreams, which foretold destruc- 
tion of the people, if they were true. One man said, 
" I have dreamed a strange thing," and the others 
were eager to hear what he had to say. '' I dreamed 
that such rain fell that we all were drowned." 

'' I," said another, " dreamed that the river^rose 
and flooded the place, and we were all destroyed."^^ 
" So did I," chimed in another. ''And I too." 
They could not understand what these dreams 
could mean; so they called a council to decide what 
they had better do. At last they decided to build a 
huge raft of many canoes tied together, the like of 
which was never seen before. So they set to work, 
amidst the jeering of the people who would not 
believe in these dreams. After many months they 
finished the raft and tied it with long cedar-bark ropers 
and made a huge rope of cedar bark that could reach 
the top of Cowichan Mountain, where they passed it 
through the middle of a huge stone, to serve as the 
acchor. The stone is still there, as a Avitness of the 
truth. They were a long time at work. At length 
all was ready. The raft floated in Cowichan Bay, a 
wonderment to all about. Not long afterwards the 
rain commenced. The drops were as large as 
hailstones, and so heavy that they kJUed the 
little babies. The river ro^^e and all the 
valleys Avere covered. People took refuge m the 
mountain, but that was soon under water. When the 
rain began, the wise people, and the friends who oe- 
lieved, took their families and placed them on the raft 
and took food and waited. By and by the rail lo^c 
Avith the water, and was the only thing seen for many 
days. How terrified they all were, and could not 
divine whv this terrible calamity had been sent for. 



•** 



12 

They prayed to the Great Spirit for help, l»ut none 
came. As the rain fell, they were kept busy bailing 
out the rain with their cedar-bark bailers. At length 
the rain stopped, and they felt the watei-s going down, 
and their raft rested on the top of Cowichan Moun- 
tain, being held by the anchor and cedar rope. Then 
they saw land, but what desolation met their eyes ! 
How their hearts were wrung with anguish I It was 
indescribable, but they took courage and landed, and 
went to where their old homes had been. They began 
to rebuild the village and take up their old life again. 
After this they increased rapidly, and soon filled their 
lands with people. Then they quarrelled among 
themselves so bitterly that they agreed to separate, 
and in this way was the world peopled. 



HISTORY OF THE COWICHAXS. 

This war that I am about to relate took place about 
300 years ago. The Cowichans had grown a great 
and powerful people, numbering many thousands. 
They had 1)een insulted, or some of their friends had 
been killed by the people of Snohomish, now in 
American territory. Now, they were burning to 
avenge this deed, and mustered their fightintr men 
and manned their war canoes, and oflF they started. 
They got safely across the Sound and attacked the 
people of Snohomish, conquered them and burnt 
their villages. From there they went on to Port 
Manson, and then to Colthic, a village near Port 



13 

Townsend, and on to Los Angeles, conquering wher- 
ever they went. After an absence of a month they 
turned homewards, laden with the spoils of war; but 
what was their horror on reaching home, where they 
expected a warm w^elcome, to find their villages all in 
ruins and their wives and children gone. An old 
man hobbled down to the beach and told theui of 
what had taken place. The Fort Rupert and one 
hundred and twenty Northern tribes had come down 
on a war expedition, and had fallen on the defence- 
less villages of Cowichan, Kuper Island and Saanich, 
and had killed the men left in charge and carried off 
the women and slaves, to be "• elitans," or slaves. The 
( 'owichans did not wait long, but hurried to the Xew 
"Westminster people and asked their help. They are 
related to the Cowichans. The Songhees, who lived 
at Metchosin, sent word to say that the iSTorthern 
tribes were going to make a second foray, and try to 
carry off the men this time. The Songhees bid their 
friends wait till the ISTorthern people came down. 

One day a small canoe came flying with the news 
that the invaders were coming. About 300 canoes 
had passed Nanaimo. So the Cowichans and Xew 
Westminsters went to meet them. 

At Maple Bay the invaders had landed to rest. 
I'he Cowichans crept up and waited outside of the 
bay. In order to draw the enemy out to sea, they 
sent a canoe, with a man disguised as a Avoman, and 
twenty men lying at the bottom of the canoe, fully 
armed and covered with mats, across the entrance of 
the harbor. When the jSTorthern people saw this, 
they pushed off and went in chase of the canoe. The 
canoe turned out to sea and drew the people after it; 
and, when well out, the Cowichan, Saanich and l^Tew 



14 

Westminster contingents gave chase, and then the 
battle commenced. The Northern people were sur- 
rcnndod and kept in for two days and three niglito. 
The water was red with blood. The Cowichans sang 
their war song, given by Stimqua, the great snake, 
which fell from Heaven into the bay. At last a few. 
canoes escaped and were chased as far as Comox. 
They were upset and the people killed. Not one of 
the Xorth people escaped. 

After resting, the Co^\^chan, Kuper Island and 
Saanieh people went to look for their wives aal 
children. They were successful, and brought them 
home safely. Then they made a second e.xpodition 
for revenge, burning the villages and taking the 
women and children captive. This broke the power 
of the North people, and the Cowichans lived in 
peace for many years. 



THE AVAR SONG. 

This great snake, Stimqua, fell into the harl)0ur, 
and the people were so alarmed that they did not 
know what to do. 

" Come, lot us kill this monster, and he wiW be in 
our power." 

So the brave men of the tribe got into their 
canoes and surrounded the snake and killed it, and 
dragged the huge monster to the foot of the Cowichan 
Mountain. The rope was made of cedar bark. This 



15 

is the song that was made to commemorate the event: 
The spear that killed Stimqua was poisoned with his 
blood, and his spirit came on the people. 

Song — Only sung when going to battle: 
If we only shake our spear at you 

And shout "Whow!" you die. 
We are the Cowichans, 

Stimqua is our power . 



THE STORY OF QUAMICHA:^r. 

A wild woman named Quamichan, who made a 
basket out of a snake, was a giantess, and her whole 
appearance was disgusting. She lived on human 
flesh, and sneaked about villages, stealing the child- 
ren, which she put into her snake basket. She lived 
on Salt Spring Island, near Kuper. She had wings 
and used to fly about Saanich and elsewhere, stealing 
young people. Her sister was a very small woman, 
and hated Quamichan bitterly. Quamichan decided 
to have a big feast and invite her friends; so for a 
few days she was kept busy stealing children, whom 
she hid in a cave. When she had enough, she dug a 
huge pit, about 100 feet square and very deep. She 
put big sticks across the top, and between she placed 
small dry wood as kindlings, and then big stones on 
the top of all. Then she set fire to the wood. She 
called the children out, and made them sit down and 
watch the fire. There were hundreds of poor child- 
ren, crying and begging to be let go home. She made 



fire l»y rubbing two sticks togetlier in this fashion: A 
flat stick with a small hole in the middle, and a small 
round stick with a sharp point to fit in the flat piece of 
wood; then the round stick was rubbed violently be- 
tween the two palms, and as soon as smoke and sparks 
were seen coming out, fine drv cedar l)ark was held to 
the sparks, and as they fell on the bark it was gently 
blown, and the fire fanned into flame. 

Xow, after the fire had started, (^uamichan danced 
round the pit, singing and siiouting. *' Now I am 
going to have a big feast with my friends, and eat 
tlif se young animals," as she called the children. " I 
hope the stones will get red-hot quickly, so that they 
will be well cooked." 

8he told her sister to take pitch pine and make the 
children open their eyes, and smear their eye-balls 
with the pitch, so that they could not see what was 
going to happen. Xow, the sister's heart was tender. 
She took the pitch and went to each child and bid it 
close its eyes and put the pitch on the lids, and said to 
each: " "\Vhen I call out ' Open your eyes!' you must 
get sticks and be ready, for I am going to punish 
(^uamichan. Xow, be ready." 

When she had finished, Quamichan told her to 
take out the sticks and throw them to one side, as the 
stones were red-hot. 

" Yes, sister," she said; " but first dance again 
and sing, for you sing so well; jukI shut your eyes 
tight and look up as you dance." 

Quamichan was greatly pleased with this flattery, 
and danced away like mad. The little sister now got 
a long i)<)le, and, \vhen (Quamichan came close by her, 
she thrust the pole between her legs and tripped her, 



17 



and Quamichan fell into the kot pit on her back. 
She screamed to her sister to help her out. 

" Oh, yes, I am helping you out, but you are 
awfully heavy; call on the boys and girls to help." 

" With that the sister shouted: " Children, open 
your eyes," and they took sticks and threw them into 
the pit, where they caught fire. Quamichan was 
burning like oil, and the sparks from her turned into 
ducks, geese and all sorts of birds. This was the end 
of Quamichan. The little sister sent the poor 
cliildren back to their homes rejoicing. The 
Cowichan Indians called themselves Quamichans, 
after this big woman, and they learnt to make fire 
from her. 



Sr^ALLIGHA^^ ; OR, THE THU^tder AXD 
LIGHTNING BIRD. 



On Yaldez Island there lived a large family. The 
eldest brother was married, but had only one child — a 
boy, a most strange child. As soon as he was able to 
walk, he went by himself into the forest, and would 
remain away all day and return at night. His 
mother would place the choicest pieces of meat before 
him, but in vain; a morsel of deer's fat would last 
him a week. His mother asked the child why it was 
he had no appetite for the good things she laid before 
him. He replied : " The lovely, sweet smell of the 
morning wdnd, fiill of the odor of sweet flowers and 
trees, is food enough for me." 



18 

Not long after this the boy failed to come home, 
so his father and iincles started out in search of him. 
They asked thousands of people if they had seen the 
child, but all said they had not. The poor parents 
grieved for five years, and one morning early, as was 
her custom, the mother went outside and sat down to 
mourn for her lost son. All at once she fancied she 
heard his voice calling her. How could it be ? The 
child was dead, Init the voice came nearer, and she 
listened to what it was saying. The song he sang was 
this : " My father and mother, look up now, I 
have come back to you. I have seen all the world. 
Comfort yourselves, for I still live." 

The poor mother could not believe her ears. " If 
you are my son, show yourself to me." 

''Alas! I cannot, as the day has dawned. But look 
up, mother, and you "vvill see a number of little flies. 
I am there. If you \nsh t(^ see me, mother, come out 
before the dawm, and I will be able to show you that 
I am your son." With that the voice ceased. 

The mother ran in and awakened her husband 
'' Our son has returned, and I have heard his voice." 

How joyful they were, and longed for the next 
morning. It was the longest day they had seen. 

The next day, before the dawn, both were outside 
waiting for the son, who came out of the forest. A 
sliining light was about, and he lo<iked so grand. 
They were afraid — surely that beautiful being was 
not their son. He ran up and kissed them, and after 
a long talk he told his father to build him a new 
house, made of " sliquis," or bullnishcs. These 
rushes arc made into fine mats, w^hich are used for 
lining the lodges. These mats were to be perfectly 
new, and the house was to be immense and some dis- 




(Copyrighted.) THE CHIEFS DAUGHTER. 



20 

tance from the village; it was also to be without 
a roof. 

Now, when the dawn broke, he disappeared, and 
the parents set about at once to build this large house. 
They called their people and all helped. At last they 
had ten acres enclosed in the "sliquis" mats. When 
all was ready they waited for the son to come and live 
in the new dwelling. With the dark he came, re- 
vealing himself in all his splendour. He related his 
adventures. He said that the last day he had wan- 
dered by himself into the forest, a monster bird, or 
Thunder, had carried hira away, and that the bird had 
t.'ikcn his eyes out r.nd changed them, and had called 
him "Scallighan,'' which means "I am a great man — 
I have great powers and rule the spirits." Now Scalli- 
ghan always kept his eyes shut, and his parents asked 
him the reason why. 

" If I opened my eyes, the lightning would strike 
and kill you. I dare not show my eyes, and if 1 
take off my hat the thunder comes." He was a ter- 
rible power. 

Scallighan asked his father wliicli was the highest 
mountain on the island. His father said that Salt 
Spring Island was the highest. " I will go there, and 
do you make me a large house there, as I do not lik(^ 
this place; it is too near the people." 

So the father and five uncles went to work .111. 1 
pulled the mats down and carried them to Salt Spring 
Mountain, and there put up the house. When it was 
ready, Scallighan came down, and was pleased with 
the new house. " Xow, father, I wish to marry, so 
go to Xanaimo and ask the Chief for his daughter. 
First take off mv hat carefully and cover it well, so 
that no one sees it." 



21 

Now, the hat was very peculiar looking, and had 
four eagles' feathers stuck round it. 

** Shew the Chief my hat if he refuses to let my 
daughter come with you; show only a little of it, and 
you will see what happens." 

So the father and uncles went off in their canoes 
to Nanaimo, to ask the Chief there for his daughter. 

"When they asked for the young girl, the Chief 
was very angry, and demanded why the son did not 
come himself to ask for his daughter. They might 
go away again. Then Scallighan's father said : 

" Here is my son's hat; if I show it to you, there 
will be much danger. You had better let the maid 
come with us." 

The Chief was enraged, and scoffed at the power 
of the hat. 

So the father imcovered a little of the hat, and 
thei- the thunder and lightning came and burnt up the 
Chief's house; imd the old father quickly covered 
the hat, lest the people should be killed. How fright- 
ened were all around, and the Chief at once gave his 
daughter, and told them to be gone. So they went 
home and took the bride with them. The father re- 
stored the hat to Scallighan, who was rejoiced with 
his bride. He himself was invisible to her. 

The neighbouring tribes, hearing of these won- 
derful doings, brought their daughters as peace offer- 
ings to Scallighan. There were two hundred young 
women in the vast lodge of Scallighan. ISTow, there 
was no roof over the lodge, so that when he opened 
his eyes the lightning went up and did no harm. 
People were terrified, and begged that Scallighan 
might be destroyed ; but how could they kill the man 
who had such power, and who could become invisible. 



At last two brothers who lived in Cowichan deter- 
mined to rid the land of thunder and lightning, and 
made preparations for their warfare. They put on 
their war dresses, and each carried a magic sword, 
made out of elk horn. It had wonderful powers. 

Xow, the spirits told Scallighan that tlie two nioi 
we>re coming to kill him, so he waited for them. After 
a long climb they reached the house of sliquis, and 
called aloud for JScallighan to come out and show 
himself, so that they might fight. Scallighan replied: 
"[ am here; come this way." So the two men went in 
the direction of the voice. They saw no one. Sud- 
denly Scallighan opened his eyes and took off his hat 
and what a terrible storm took place ! The lightning 
killed the younger brother, and as he fell, the elder 
seized the body and held it as a shield, and went on to 
give battle. Scallighan became visible, and the two 
fought. At last the magic sword struck Scallighan 
and killed him, and his spirit flew off as a great bird. 
The young conqu-Bror released all the wives from this 
huge lodge, and they all went to their old homes. 

Whyuctan Swalamesett, or Tom James, and hi,'^ 
familv come from this country, and it is called 
" Taatka." 



THE ADVENTURES OF A YOUXG MAN" 
WITH CROOKED EYES. 

A young man, who was so unfortunate as to be 
born with squint eyes, and who had been made the 
butt of ihe village, fell in love with the Chief's 




(Copyrig-hted.) 



ZOOHALITZ. 



24 

daughter, and wished to marry her. After many 
"weeks of torture, she refused him, as he was so ugly. 

Nothing daunted, he went in search of a wise 
woman who lived some distance away. When he got 
to the place, she already knew what he had come for. 
"Ah, my son, so you wish something from me?" 

" Yes, my mother and I am so unhappy. The 
maiden I wish to marry \\ill not have me because my 
face is so ugly. Now, can you give me something to 
chpnge my face and put my eyes straight?" 

" Xo, my son ; but do what I tell you, and you 
may yet be all right and get your wife. Your grand- 
father can help you. Well, where does he live ? " 

" It is a long way, and the way is full of peril." 

'* Now, take with you a sack of red paint and one 
of deer's fat. Then go as far as the mountain you see 
yonder; cross that, and then be careful — ^you will see 
three mountains; keep far from them, but they are 
part of your w-ay ; when you have safely passed them 
yuu will come to a large plain, as big as the sea, and in 
the middle you will see smoke coming out. Go there 
and you will see your grandfather at work. He is a 
very w^ise man." 

" Thank you, my mother ; I will do anything for 
you when I come back." 

So off the youth went, got the red paint and 
deer's fat, and early the next day he went off to seek 
for his new face. After a long, toilsome journey he 
reached the plain, and there in the middle was a hnge 
cloud of smoke coming. So on he hastened, till he 
at length stood before the smoke, and then looked 
down the hole and saw an old, old man at work, o.nrv- 
ing wood. 

" Good day, grandfather; what are you doing ? " 



25 



" Oh, I am making wooden faces. Come in. So 
you are tlie grandson that I heard was coming to me. 
"Well, you are not handsome; perhaps I can help 



you" 



Then the youth produced the red paint and 
deer's fat. 

" Just things I have been wishing for!" ex- 
claimed the old man. " Now I can ao what you 
wish." 

" Well, I want a new face, with straight eyes,' 
said the youth. " Can you do that for me ? " 

" Oh, yes. Now, look here," picking up a mask, 
" Will this do ? " 

" No, indeed; it is not nice at all." 
So mask after mask was shown. None would suit. 
At length a small cedar box was brought and opened. 
In it lay a very handsome wooden face. 
" Now, I will have that one." 
" Very well, my son; sit down and let me put it 
on for you." 

So the youth sat down. The old man took the 
boy's forehead in one hand and the chin in the other, 
and in an instant the old face was off. After an appli- 
cation of deer's fat the handsome face was put on. 
" Now, look at yourself in this water." 
What a joyful sight met the young man's eyes ! 
How he shouted and danced for joy when he saw how 
he had been transformed ! His first thought was to 
go straight home; so, thanking his grandfather and 
wishing him good-bye, he started. 

" Not so fast, my son. There are many dangers 
before you. Now, be careful when you reach the 
three mountains, for there lives a giantess, who, if she 



26 

sees you, will eat you up. Keep as far away as you 
c ui without losing your way." 

So the youth Avent off, full of joy, and in his hurry 
forgetting what the old man had said. Just as he 
was passing the three mountains, ^eat was his horror 
on beholding an enormous woman coming to meet 
him. He tried to escape, but with one stride she was 
by him. 

'' Where are you i-unning to, my little husband?" 

It was the giantess, Zoohalitz, and she snatched up 
the poor fellow in her arms and almost smothered him 
with her foul breath and kisses. She took him to her 
cave, and called her slave Cheetyan. 

'* Here, Cheetyan, get warm water and wash 
your brother-in-law." 

So the poor fellow had to submit. After more 
tC'i'ture and kissing, Zoohalitz began to yawn, and the 
ytimg man jumped into her mouth and down into her 
stomach, where he played sad havoc with her heart; 
he tried to twist it and so kill his tormentor. 

" How ill I am," cried Zoohalitz. " Send for the 
doctor and my friends, for I feel I am going to die." 

So word was sent to her friends. They were 
wolves, bears, panthers, etc., and the doctor was an 
immense squid. When he arrived, Zoohalitz opened 
her mouth. She was in terrible agony. For five 
days the young man had been her un\villing tenant. 
The squid thrust his long feeler doAvn into Zoohalitz's 
stomach, but he could not catch the young man, who 
hid himself behind the heart. So the squid had to 
give up trying, and the crane was sent for. The 
crfne pushed his long bill down her throat and tried 
to catch the youth, but the latter caught hold of the 
crane's bill and squeezed it with all his might, and 



28 

braced himself against the sides of the stomach, so 
that Dr. Crane could not pull his bill out. Such 
stiuggling there was. At length the youth let go of 
the bill, and over went the crane, rolling head over 
heels, and how sore was his poor bill ! At last Zoo- 
halitz was killed. But the trouble was how to get the 
ynung man out. Finally Cheotyan decided to cut 
Zoohalitz open, which she promptly did, and out 
bounded the you'^h. How glad he was to be free oner; 
more. He thanked his deliverer, and found out that 
she had been kept as a prisoner; so the young Tnan 
asked her to marry him, and together they would go 
back to the village. So off they went, and at length 
reached home. How astonished the people were at 
seeing the young man come back looking so handsome. 
They could scarcely believe that it was the same ugly 
fellow. 

'Now the Chief's daughter came to see the wonder, 
and fell straightway in love with the young fellow 
He turned from her, and would not even look at her. 
So she, in despair, consulted the old wise woman. 
who directed her to the same place as ^he had sent the 
young man, but failed to tell her to take red paint and 
deer's fat. So the poor maid toiled over the moun- 
tains and at length stood before the old man, who 
asked her what she needed, and she told him ; so off 
came her face, and in its place did he put the young 
man's discarded face, squint eye and all. How miser- 
ably the poor girl felt when she saw the horrible 
change ; but it was punishment for her treatment of 
her lover. She went back, but was flouted by all, and 
died after much miserv. 



29 



THE STORY OF TEN BROTHERS AND THE 
SEA LION. 

Once upon a time there lived near Cowichan a 
family of ten brothers, who were noted for deeds of 
daring and skill in spearing sea lions. Not far off 
there lived a rival family, consisting of five brothers. 
They were terribly jealous of the ten brothers, as they 
could never secure any good sea lion hunting as long- 
as the ten brothers lived. The sea lions frequented a 
rocky island not far from Cowichan, and at early 
dawn the ten brothers were there, waiting to kill the 
sea lions. Now, these five brothers became greatly 
enraged and took counsel together as to the best 
means of killing these rivals. One of the brothers 
suggested a visit to Soo-ol-li-che, a very wise man, 
gifted with magic powers and ability to understand 
animal talk. So off they went to Soo-ol-li-che and told 
him their troubles and how they wished to get rid of 
the hateful ten brothers. 

Well what would they give him as a reward ? A 
canoe ? 

No. 

Skin-blankets, etc.? 

At last they said they would give him their young 
kinswoman, a very pretty young woman. 

Yes, that would do. So he took them away to a 
salt lake that lies on the top of a mountain on Lopez 
Island, and there he made them cut down a large 
cedar tree ; also make a passage from the lake to the 
sea. Soo-ol-li-che now carved the wood into a sea lion; 



30 

he hollowed it out, made the heart, lungs, liver, etc., 
of herbs, which he put into it, and then rubbed herbs 
over the outside. The skin grew immediately. For 
the whiskers he took long- cedar twigs and stuck them 
round the mouth. The real sea lion has beautiful 
siher-looking whiskers, which are greatly prized, and 
wliich are used to ornament tlie head-dresses of the 
cliiefs. Xow the wooden animal looked just like tlie 
real tiling. 

When everything was ready, See-ol-liche gave the 
sea lion his orders. First he had to dive into the salt 
lake and find the passage to the sea, as the brothers 
had failed to find it; then it was to go to the rocky 
island and play about as the others did, and attract the 
attention of the ten brothers. They would try to 
spear him, and when the spears were fast in, then he 
was to start north and carry the young men with him. 
Then the sea lion plunged in the lake and came out 
in Cowichan harbor. Then he swam to the rocky 
island and there played about. The brothers were, as 
usual, waiting for sport, and tliov inst<antly manned 
their canoes to go after the lion. 

" Stop! Stop! " said the elder brother, taking a 
good look at the animal. '' That is no real sea lion; 
that is not real. Our enemies must have been at 
work, and that means mischief to us." 

The other brothers, however, begged him to try to 
s])oar the animal. lie \vas the strongest and most 
expert of the brothers, and to make sure of tlie 
lion, they gave him their spears. The first spear 
was well planted, and the cedar line given to one 
of tlie brothers; then all ten were thrust in, 
and the sea lion, which had been pretending tn 
be in a dvina' ^tatc, now rushed off, towin.<i 



31 



the canoes and brothers with him, away out to sea and 
up north. They made every effort to throw the 
lines away. Tliey had grown fast to their hands; 
they cut the lines, which grew immediately, no 
they gave up the struggle in despair. After many 
days the sea lion came to a large mountain that rose 
straight out of the sea, and the face of it was full 
of holes. Into the largest the sea lion scrambled 
and pulled the ten brothers after him. How terrified 
they were, and sore and hungry. In this huge cave 
there were naked men and w^-^men, and the chief of 
them came to the sea lion and asked him how it was 
he had brought these strangers in. They could not 
feed them, so they had better be drowned. 

The people crowded around and examined the 
brothers' clothes, and even took them o^ and tried 
them on. These were the spirits of the sea lions. 

After a year's slavery the chief allowed the 
brothers to go home. They were put in their canoes 
and told to go as far out to sea as they could before 
turning a certain point where lived a giant, who 
would eat them if he saw them. Two yoimg sea 
lions were ordered to show thein the way, and towed 
the canoes away out to sea. 

ITow the eldest brother was keen to see the giant, 
and, not regarding the advice of the sea lions or 
heeding his brothers' entreaties, he paddled as close 
as he dared to the point. " If the giant comes, I 
will shoot him with my arrows and kill him." 

Now, this giant, ITemokis, was watching for then: 
and when they came close enough he vv^aded out to 
them and seized their canoes and dragged them in to 
shore. Then he ordered them into his cave. There 



32 

they were kept as close prisoners. It was a gruesome 
place, and in the centre lay a huge flat stone, and on 
it the fire burned, and near it was a basket. 

** Now," said Xemokis, '' yonder is my wife." 
They looked everywhere for a woman, but he was 
pointing to a round basket half filled \\'ith blood. 

'' Take good care of that basket, or my wife vill 
scream if you try to escape. Keep her not too 
warm or too cold or she will scream, and I'll beat you. 
!N^ow mind, for 1 am going to hunt.'" 

Such trouble they had with Xemokis' wife. 
The least attempt at an escape she l)eyan to si'reaiii so 
loudly th.it the giant heard her, and rushed buck. 

" What is it ? " 

'' Oh, nothing," said omo. ' I only put her too 
close to the fire." 

" Oh, well, be careful what you do." 

One of the brothers became a great favorite with 
the basket wife, who allowed him to carry her al)Out 
the cave. A year or more passed and they were still 
slaves. They were dying to escape, but how could 
they manage it without that wTCtched thing scream- 
ing ? The only thing to do was to kill the horrid 
thing. So they collected huge flat stones and ar- 
ranged how they should use them. The favourite 
brother was to put the basket on the flat stone and 
sing to it, and then the rest would dash their flat 
stones on it. So he can-ied the basket, as it had 
begun to whimper, and hushed it; then placed it on 
the flat stone, still singing; then stepped aside, when 
a flat stone was droj)])cd right into the centre 
of the basket, and the blood splashed every- 
where. So in this wav was the ciant's wife 



33 

killed. The stones were all thrown on the first 
one, and such a scrambling for the opening 
of the cave ! There they found only two canoes, 
bat they had to do the best they could. How swiftly 
they pulled away to get out of reach of the giant. 
They had just passed into deep water and beyond the 
fatal point, when they heard the giant calling to them. 
lie was striding after them. They then re- 
doubled their efforts. One of them, looking back, 
saw the giant sinking in the water up to his chin, but 
he turned back and got where he could throw stones 
at them, but they shook their paddles at him and 
shouted derisively at him to come and catch them. 
Ho roared so loudly that he sliook the earth, and tore 
trees up by the roots and flung them at the canoes, 
so as to break them and drown the fugitives. 
They at last escaped, and after five years of wander- 
ing reached home, to find their village a ruin and 
their friends gone. 



THE STOEY OF SEMMELTH. 

The Indian chief, Statloth, and his wife lived 
many years without being blessed with children, but 
at last the great spirit sent them a beautiful boy — 
the joy and pride of their lives. As he grew beyond 
babyhood, they found that he was only content to 
roam in the forest by himself. Xo children were 
ever taken as his companions. All day would the 
child be absent. At nightfall, however, he would 



34 

return. His parents couM not make out this strange 
silent child. At last his father followed him one 
day, and after a lon_<i- hunt Statloth tracked his sou 
as far as 8ha\vni<;an Lake, where, in a clear space, he 
saw his son playiuii with an immense wolf. How 
frightened he was I Jie dared not move, for fear 
thev would see him, and the charm would he spoilt, 
as the wolf was evidently a great power. So the 
father watched the two playing, and then crej)t away 
as silently as he coidd. When he got hack to 
Saanich and his wife, he told her what a marvel he 
had seen. '* Oh, my wife, our son is destined to be- 
come a great chief ; the (Jreat Spirit has taken him 
and put his spirit in the child. Xow, when our son 
comes back do not say anything to him, and ask him 
not where he has been these many days." 

The evening of the next day the young son 
appeared and brought deer's flesh in al)undance, and 
told his father that in future he need not go to the 
forest to hunt, as he was able now to keep them sup- 
plied with f<»od. 

When the lad had reached his sixteenth year, he 
bade his father call all his kinsmen to a big feast, so 
word was sent to Xew AVestminster, Semiahmoo (or 
•Mud Bay), Cowichau, Ku])or fsland. Salt Spring- 
Island, Chemainus and Xanaimo that Chief Statloth 
Mould give a feast in honor of his son, and also that 
the s(tn might recnve a name. Indian children do 
not receive names till they reach a certain age. The 
lad told his father not to trouble himself about get- 
ting food, as his own friends would bring in what he 
wished. The day before the feast the mother \va^ 
atttinii anxious as to where the food was to come 




(Copyrighted.) CHIEF STATLOTH AT SHAWNIGAN 
LAKE. 



36 

from. Uurin<;- the night wolves from all parts came 
to Saanich, each carrying a deer slung over his back. 
Five thousand wolves were employed in this service, 
and such a mountain of deer-meat was never seen 
before or since. Chief Statloth was so terrilied at 
hearing the wolves that he shut the lodge door fast, 
and could scarcely be persuaded to come and look at 
the meat. At last he came out, and such a sight met 
hifj eyes ! His beloved son standing by the side of 
a huge wolf, who kept guard of the boy. The wolf 
then spoke to the father. 

'■ Oh, chief, this, your child, has been taken by 
our chief to be his son, and he wishes him to be called 
Sernmelth. He is to be a very great warnor, and our 
future king." With that the wolf bounded away to 
th( forest. 

JJuring the day the visitors and guests began to 
arrive, and all were taken up to see this wonderful 
sight. Their wonder and amazement, also fear, can- 
not be described. When they had all come, then the 
cooking and feasting commenced. They ate till they 
nearly burst, then slept, and continued eating till the 
mountain of jflesh had been consumed. Then the 
ceremony of christening the young man took place. 
"When the people heard that he was to be called 
Sernmelth, which was not a tribal name, thev mur- 
mured and asked the reason why lie should Iiave sucii 
a name. So the young man told the reason and the 
story of his adoption by the wolves, and how they 
had given him power over all men and animals. 

'' Now," said Semmeltli, ''call upon nu if you 
wish to go to war, and I will, by myself, conquer 
vour enemies." 



37 



They laughed at liim, bur, he begged them to let 
him show his powers. Now, they had a grudge 
against the Quatsino tribe, but the latter in the old 
days numbered thousands of people, and the Cowi- 
chans and their friends were rather afraid of attaci:- 
ing them ; but, inspired by the words of Semmelth, 
they called a war council and decided to attack the 
Quatsinos. They made their preparations and got 
their war canoes ready, and, with Semmelth as head 
of the expedition, started off. After eighteen days' 
paddling they reached Quatsino Sound. 

" Xow, my friends," said Semmelth, "I wish you 
to remain in your canoes, as I am going to kill these, 
our enemies, by myself. Don't follow, but w^ait till 
I call you." 

So off he started, and not long after they heard 
such howling and baying of wolves, and then the 
screams of men and women. The people were being 
chased by wolves, pulled down and destroyed. It was 
a terrible scene. This carnage went on all day, and 
at night all was quiet. Then they took heart and 
crept into the village. Oh, what an awful sight met 
their eyes ! All the people were killed except the 
children. These had been spared. After burning 
the dead, they fed the children and left them to go 
brick to the canoes and wait for Sevnnieith. lie did noi 
return, and after long waiting they went home and 
there found him. Semmelth had run all the way. 
Ilis running was like a wolf's for swiftness, and his 
strength was enormous. They asked the hero how 
he had conquered the Quatsinos. 

" Oh," said he, " my good brothers, the wolves, 
did the deed for me." 



38 

Tlicn the pe'oj)k' fcan-d liini iircatly, and his fame 
went all over the world. The time cninc wlicii lie 
dct^in-d to marry. 

" My father, J liear that Chief lleachwistan has 
a ^ery fine dtinghter, and I would like to marry her.'' 

So, after much talking- and voya<iino', the maiden 
was brought to Saanich and given to Seminelth as his 
"wife. The maitU'ii did not like her hushand, and ran 
away from him and took a canoe and paddled hack to 
her father. The second wife came from Salt Spring 
Island, and the day after the great wedding feast 
Sf mnielth did not rise, so his father went to call him, 
but no answer from Sennnelth, and on looking at his 
son he found that Semmelth's throat had been cut, 
that the young Avife had escaped, and that she had 
dene the deed. Xow, it ha])pe'ne(] that the second 
wife was a young man dressed as a woman and had 
been used by Semmelth's enemies to destroy the grear 
wolf man. 

Poor old Statloth was heartd)roken — his only son 
to meet such a terrible death. So to the forest ho 
went, after putting the body in a box, and that into 
a tree, and call-'d f<ir the great wolf, so that he might 
liave revenge. On his way back the ]>oor old man 
was met by a bear, and killed and eaten. 

The poor mother was now by herself. One 
mrrning early she heard scratching sounds at ht'r 
door, and, getting up, what should she see but a large 
wolf, who leaped on her, licked her face and whined, 
expressing as much joy as he could. Then he spoke. 

" Oh, my mother, I am your son, Semmelth, and 
have now become a great chief over the wolves. You 
will never want for meat till vou die, for everv dav 




(CopyritfhteJ.) 



STETALHT. 



40 

I will bring you food. I will watch over you, so 
don't be afraid any more, for we are all about you." 
Witli these words he ran to the forest. 

The mother never had to beg meat from any of 
her people, and when she died she was taken to the 
woods by her son and buried, wolf fashion. 

Xot long after this the Xootka Indians heard that 
Se]unielth was dead, so they eamc to dance and burn 
Semmelth's village in Saanich; but the Saanich people 
had 111 shed into the woods, and the Xootkas were 
having a splendid dance, when down came the wolves 
and chased them into their canoes. The people were 
so alarmed that Ihey paddled off, and got as far as 
Cliemainns, and there camped, when douTi came the 
wolves, killing numbers of the people. The rest 
pushed otf and went on to Xanaimo, where they 
landed, and the wolves chased them again, this time 
leaving only a few people alive. At last they reached 
home, and there the wolves came down on them and 
killed every one. Thus was Semmolth revoni:('<l. 



STETALHT, OR SPIRIT PEOPLE. 

The Stetalht are a strange people, who can make 
tliemselves invisible. T)\ey are almost like sjnrits, 
and only appear at night. Their signs are scarcely 
known, but their whistling is heard all over the 
forest. They are supposed to live in caves. "When 
the Indians hear fhese whistlings they take their guns 
and shoot at where the sounds come from. One 



41 



evening the chief, Stellowalth, was going down to 
the river by himself, and he met a strange man. On 
asking who he was that dared to come so near his 
village, the stranger answered : 

" I am one who belongs to the Stetalht, and I am 
now come to punish you, oh, Stellowalth, for shooting 
at my people," 

Thereupon he conmianded Stellowalth to sit 
down. The chief had to obey. He then stripped 
him of his feathers and furs, and stuck the chief's 
body full of sharp arrows. 

Two other wild people came up. " Don't kill 
him," said they; " yoii have done enough to him; 
let him go now." 

So they ordered the chief to stand, and then to 
d.nce, and at last they let him go. Chief Stello- 
walth had been hypnotized by these people, i hough 
he could hear them talk, he could not move unless 
they ordered him to. Then he had to promise that 
never again would he allow his people to shoot into 
the woods when they heard the whistlings. 

Two Indians who had gone down to see if their 
salmon net was full, began to pull it into their canoe. 
No fish came, but at thci bottom of the net lay a 
beautiful wild woman, dressed in fine furs, and over 
her face she held a large piece of white moss, ihey 
were so alarmed at seeing her that they almost 
dropped the net. She made signs not to be afraid. 
Then thev took her out, and, in spite of being m the 
water, her clothes were not wet. Then they took 
her to the village. How they crowded round her 
and examined her. She smiled at them, and made 
sions that she was hungry and would like to eat. bo 



tlioy brought her tish and moat. When she had 
satifetied lier hiin.<;er, she signed that she wished to 
remain with them. So they consented, and as long 
as she stayed in the village there was always plenty, 
for her people every night l)r(jught deer and game 
and placed it at her lodge door. By and by she 
learned to speak their langnagc, and after a year's 
service said that she must leave them, and she begged 
them to give licr a hateliet, knife and matches. 
She thanked tlicin for their kindness to her. 
and during the niglit she slipped away, and they saw 
her no more. 

In the village of Snolupuiluiith, after the big 
fishing had been done, everybody was pleased and 
ready to sing and dance. The chief sent word that 
he was going to give a big feast and dance, so the 
people came in numbers with their families. Sueli 
rejoicing while all this feasting and dancing Avas 
going on. A ven* old man — too old to enjoy such 
feasting, lay in his bed in his lodge. AVhile looking 
up at the smoke-hole he saw a hand and arm come 
through and seize a dried salmon. "What could it 
mean ? AVithout waiting for more fish to 1)0 taken, 
the old man took a long fishing pole, with hook at- 
tached, and just waited for the thief. Presently t'le 
hand and arm came down again. With a dexterous 
handling of the fishing pole, the arm was hooked, aiul 
ffown fell one of the wild jteople. The old man tied 
him securely, in spite of his .<igns and struggles, and 
took him away to the lodge wh.ere they were dancing. 
Now the dancing had been going on for three days 
and nights, and the air was anything but sweet. The 
poor Stetalth abnost died at the smell, and coxorcd 
hi^ face with moss so that he niiiiht not die. 



43 

The dance stopped and the chief came forward 
and was told about the capture. lie asked the cap- 
tive what he could do ; so the wild man raised his 
hand and caused the chief to stand with his mouth 
open and perfectly powerless, and then did the same 
with the people, and took what he wished and left. 

Ihese Stetalth are supposed to steal children, and 
the Indians are very niuch afraid of them. 



CIIEE-CIIEE-KA. 

Hyas ankutte, icht soyka, yaka mamook iclit 
scliilt, kopa klip chuck; pe yaka mitlite atsliim, yaka 
nan itch okook schilt. 

Tenas lele, yaka nanitch atshim, icht-ickta 
klatawa kopa schilt; pe yaka hyas kwutl, yaka 
schilt, pe yaka iskum yaka klisumtum, pe yaka 
nanitch icht tenas stikya. 

Pe yaka wawau, "ichta mika mamook, kopa nika 
schilt?" Tenas stikya wawau, ''JS^ika tikegh tlap 
quitsi." ^'Mika kopet; mika mesahchie pos kap- 
swalla nika quitsi." 

Chee-Chee-Ka mamook iskum tenas stikyas kopa 
yaka stehue, yaka mamook memaloost, pe qualo 
yaka squani, okook tenas. In-a ti, icht hyas stikya, 
wawau. 

" Kla-how ya ! Halo mika nanitch nika tenas ?" 
Pe-Chee-Chee-Ka, wawau. " Halo nika nanitch 
kah yaka. Pe okook stikya, wawau konoway yaka 
sikhs. Kalu, Chetwoots, mowitch, pe swaawa, 



44 

Qiiiiiass, pe klextimist konoway sikhs, pos ela lian 
^r.ka — pe konoway kulakula. ilalo klaska cumtiix 
kali okook tenas mitlite. 

Stikya wawaii kopa, " Chea-Chea, halo mika 
naiiitc'h nika tenas '. " Xika tumtum hiyii kwass 
kloonass yaka memaloost. " Xawitka," (,'hee-Oliee 
Avawan. Ilyas kull pos nika nanitch, nika nianiook 
killipi. Tenas lele okook Chea-Chea-Ka wawau. 
"Klonass, nika klap yaka.'' 

Yaka liyou eunitux kali okook tenas mitlite. 
Po Cliec-Chee-Ka, liyou mamook temanous, kona- 
moxt yaka olukats, pe quietan ar.-j. ^' Coolie konaway 
Kali Tipsoo pos nanitch tenas stikya." Pe yaka 
coolie konaway illi-hi, pe halo. Alta Chee-C.'hee-Ka 
cultus wawau, yaka mamook sqiialish, copa yaka ats. 
Pe yaka iskum okook tenas stikya. Yaka mema- 
loost, yaka mash yaka qnalo, konamoxt yaka schyiis. 
'' Xah, nanitch mika tenas!" Alta konaway stikya 
tilliciim liyu haam. 

Pos-kahta' mika mamook mamcloos niska tenas;? 
Alta konaway tillicum coolee pos isknni Chee-Chee- 
Ka pe wake kahta pos iskum. Chee-Chee-Ka 
klatawa killipi, copa quietan illi-hi, yaka ipsoot copa 
scholtz pe winapie yaka chachow copa klahanie, pe 
hyon enyalish. 

Tenas lele, Seattle, mamook isknm Chee-Chee- 
Ka pe tillicum hyon nielalnm. Pe scickikwas 
wawan, "Chee-Chee-Ka, nika sikhs, halo mema- 
loost okook soyka, yaka nika Kalipho." S})aal, 
cnmtnx liyon klimiiiawhit wawan, " halo niesika 
memaloost Cliee-Chee-Ka, yaka hyas klosh kopa 
nesika, yaka kwansnm wawan kentsnin, mash killipi, 
pe nesika isknm lakwitchee, pe chotlo-pc tolnko. 



45 



Alta ll'kope yaka opoots, pe mahsh yaka; tillicum 
^^'a^vau, klosh, klosli. Pe yaka te'kope yaka opoots, 
pe hyou hee-hee pe potlatcli okook opoots kopa 
tenas. Yaka kow Chee-Chee-Ka opoots kopa klosli 
kwek pe yaka staadi. 

Konaway stikya teuas coolee pe hee-hee pe pok 
takwatz opoots. Chee-Chee-Ka hyou cli pe coolee 
kopa yaka chith, wawau, "Nanitch, nika opoots yaka 
tsolo ; klosh nika hyou tikegh pos mika temanous 
yaka iskiim copa nika." 

Klosh Chitsh wawau. Chitsh mamook hyou 
temanous, pe moxt yaka klatawa kopa scholtz, pe 
naniteh opoots. Konaway tenas mamook poh yaka. 
Pe Chitsh wawau, ''See win hyak chahko okook opoots 
kopa Chee-Chee-Ka." Pe opoots staadi chahko kopa 
Chee-Chee-Ka, yaka hyak iskum hyou chumouck 
pos chummult yaka opoots pe halo kahta mamook. 
Yaka hyou snais Chee-Chee-Ka hyou sollecks pe 
mash yaka opoots klatlum, pe hyou sick tumtum. 
Yaka hyou shem, pe klatawa klaAvhap kopa smand, 
pe vaka kwass, pe kwansum ipoots halo chahko, 
til-til 



I now give the translation of the above story : 

CHEE-CHE-KA. 

Chee-ehe-ka was once upon a time a man who could 
change himself into mink shape. One day he had 
set his trap in the river and was watching the stick 
that held the door open. Presently the stick moved, 



46 

and he let down tlie door and pulled up the trap. 
In.'^lcad of tish he caught a tine young wolf. 

" Now, then, what are you doing in my trap i " 

" Oh, 1 was looking for salmon trout. Please let 
me go.' 

■■ Xo, indeed; yon have been stealing from m<' 
long enough, and now 1 will punish you." 

So the poor wolf was killed, the fur and head 
taken off and stuffed. 

By and bye the wolf's father came down to tlie 
river and asked I'hee-ehe-ka if he had seen his son 
pass that way. 

'' Xo, I have not," answered Chee-ehe-ka, telling 
a lie. So the wolf asked all his friends, the beai^s, 
deer, sea lions, panthers — everyone he asked, and all 
the birds. But no one knew where his son was. He 
asked the blue-jay to tind the child, so this boaster 
said: " Oh, yes, T will try, but it will be hard." So 
off he flew to look. 

Then Chee-che-ka came forward and said: "Per- 
haps I can find your son.'' 

" Very well,'' said the wolf; "if you bring him to 
me alive, I will be your slave." 

So Chee-che-ka began to sing with his sisters, the 
snakes and mice. They beat the sticks and sang, and 
he called his spirits to help. lie told his sisters to go 
all al)Out the grass and woods, and to pretend to find 
the young wolf. Then they came back, em])ty- 
luinded, and then lie, with a great show of noise, 
brought out the li.-ad ;ind skin, stuflFed, of the po.)r 
young wolf. 

" Here is your s(»n, Stikya." 

Then the crs'ing and mourning began, and some 
of the animals made a dash to catch Ohee-che-ka, but 




(Copyrighted.) HAVE YOU HERE THE FIRE? 
CHEE-CHE-KA. 



48 

he had turned into a mink and disappeared down a 
niousc'-holc and ran along' their roads and came \ip 
outside. Just then the Lind-otter caught him, and 
the animals all came to hold a court and try him for 
killing their friend's son. After much talking, th^^ 
panther said in the court: 

'' Chee-che-ka must die. He has killed our 
voung friend, so must give up his life." 

The death sentence was pronounced, but the coon 
and the raven begged to be heard. The c<Kin said. 

" Don't kill him, for he is m_v friend.'' 

The raven, who is a great lawyer and knows well 
how to tell lies, said : 

" Don't kill him, for he is useful to ns; when we 
go digging clams, oystere and mussels, he orders the 
tide to keep away, so that it is dry for ns to walk on. 
If you kill him there will be no one left to order the 
tide water back. If you must punish him, cut oflF 
his tail. So, after much considering, they agreed to 
cut off his tail. So the tail was cut off and tied like 
a hoop, and given to the children to roll about. 
AVhat fun they all had out of the tail ! Poor Chee- 
che-ka ran away to his grandmother and asked her to 
see if she could not get back his tail. So she called 
her spirits and told them what s]ic wished. So off she 
i'.nd her grandson went to the place where they were 
shooting aiTows at the hoop. The spirits rolled 
the hoop to them, and Chee-che-ka seized it and ran 
off with it to try to stick it on again. He put pitch 
on the end and stuck it on; hut he was so fat that 
the tail would not stick on, so he threw it away in 
great disgust. He ran off to the woods and moun- 
tains, ashamed to show himself any more to people. 



49 



He has since then lost the power of becoming a man, 
and remains a mink. 



CHILTSOP, OK FIEE STICK. 

Chee-che-ka, before he became a mink, wished to 
know how to make fire. Indeed, he knew many 
wonderful things and could do marvels, but the art 
of fire-making was unknown to him. He was quite 
unhappy about it. This fire was a wonderful thing; 
they could use it to cook with, and so he became so 
keen to find out that he and his brother went in 
search of the " chiltsop." They left their grand- 
mother at home to take care of the house, and took 
their bows and arrows with them in the canoe. As 
they came to the different villages they asked if they 
had the chiltsop. Some of the people never heard of 
it, so they promised the people that if they were suc- 
cessful in their search they would show them this new 
cliiltsop. 

After many months of wanderings they were 
almost in despair; and by chance they asked the 
raven if he could tell them where he could find this 
precious fire. 

" Oh, yes,'' said he. " My friends that came 
from the South this year told me that this fire was in 
a \^llage far to the South. l^ow, you must go 
straight this way '"' (pointing to the South). 

So, thanking the raven, they went off; and after 
many moons they got to the village where the fire 



50 

was. It was held sacred, and guarded in the chief 's 
house. Being strangers, they were shown all manner 
of civility, and slept during the night in the chief's 
house. Then they asked to see how this wonderful 
tire was made. This was refused, so they thought 
they would have to steal some fire. The big stones 
round the fire were too hot and too large to carry 
away. 

" I have a plan," said Chee-che-ka. '* To-night, 
when they are all asleep, I'll steal the chief's child, 
and we'll run away. Then they will come after us, 
but I shall not give up the child till they tell us huw 
they make fire." 

Xow, the cradle was hung on a stick, which was 
placed in a slanting position, and when the child was 
tied in the cradle, it rocked to sleep by swaying the 
stick from side to side gently. These cradles are 
very quaint, and are sometimes beautifully worked 
with colored porcupine quills, grass and feathers. 
The babies are tied in securely, so that they can be 
safely carried on their mothers' backs, or hung on a 
branch while she gathers roots and herbs. 

Now, when all was quiet and the chief and his 
wife fast asleep, Chee-che-ka rose up and unhooked 
the cradle, and with his brother stole out of the lodge. 
The dogs knew them and did not bark, so off they 
started to the beach and jumped in their canoe and 
went off. As they passed the villages they would 
pirch the child so as to make it cry, and so on till they 
reached home. N^ow, the next morning when the 
poor mother awoke to feed her baby, she could not 
find it. She hunted everywhere for it, and at last 
awoke her husband. Then he knew that the 



51 

strangers must have stolen his child. AVhat misery 
and sorrow reigned in the village ! They tracked 
Chee-che-ka to the beach and found that his canoe 
was gone, so they got ready to follow him. The 
chief took many things to exchange for the child, 
such as copper and furs, and he took two precious fire- 
sticks with him, and he and his friends started. 
They asked all the people whose villages they passed 
if they had seen the child. 

" Xo, we have seen no child, but we heard one 
crying as a canoe passed," and so on till they reached 
Chee-che-ka's house. They asked if she had seen 
the child, and she said yes, she had. 

'' Please let me have the child. I will give you 
all this canoe-load." 

So she went back to the house to tell C!hee-clie-ka, 
but he refused the bribes. " Tell them I want the 
fire-sticks and then they can have the child." 

So out she came and rubbed her hands together 
and made a strange little noise, like this : Close your 
teeth and strike them rapidly Avith your tongue, and 
you will hear the call she made. " Te-te-te!" — you 
must also sing one note, so as to make the quaint 
sound. Well, they understood what was wanted, 
and the chief came ashore and showed her how to 
make the chilsop and how to keep the fire alight. 
The babe was restored to its happy father, and all 
were pleased. 



52 



CHILD KEA' Ui-" TiiE .MOOX. 

Afany years ago an Indian chief, living on the 
West Coast, was one day walking along the beach, 
looking for a suitable tree to make into a canoe. He 
saw, lying, a small round log, ^nth one end smaller 
than the other and without any bark on, and quite 
smooth ; round the middle was a hard black sub- 
stance. He examined it closely and found that this 
piece of black stutf could be taken off this smooth log, 
so he went to work and succeeded in loosening it, and 
at length it lay in his hand. Could he use this hard 
stuif to cut with i He took a large stone and began 
to hammer away at this thing, and at last he broke it 
and flattened it out straight. Then he tried to cut 
wood with it, and found that he could easily drive the 
bhick thing into the wood. Overjoyed witli hi.s dis- 
covery, he tied a handle to this wonderful thing and 
cfilled it his power. He told none of his friends 
about his discovery. He then began to make a canoe, 
and when it was finished, the inside and out were so 
smooth that his friends inquired of him liow he had 
made such an improvement. He only laughed and 
said that the spirits had given him a great power. So 
his friends asked to be allowed to see this wonder; 
l)ut he refused to show it to them. They kept a close 
wfitch on him, but could not find out what it was ho 
used. So at last they left him alone. One day, 
whilst out hunting, he lost his power, and was inoon- 
.solable. He was afraid to ask his friends? io ho\p him 
look for his power, lest they might find it and keep it. 




(Copyrighted.) 



TIS THE MOON SHIP ! 



54 

This great loss preyed upon his iniiul so iiiueh tliat lie 
lost heart in everything; even his appetite had gone, 
and he decided that it was better to die than to live. 
So, climbing the rigli mountain at the back of the 
vilhige, and then on down the valley to a very high 
mountain he saw in the distance, he reached the top 
just as the moon was rising over the sea. What was 
his amazement to see the moon earr^dng on her 
breast a beautiful canoe, but larger than he had ever 
seen or dreamt of, and it had large white wings, 
spreatl out like a bird's. "Ah! It must be the child- 
ren of the moon that have come down to earth. 
What is going to happen ( Perhaps we are going to 
die, or our enemies are coming to attack us." 

He watched this marvellous sight, and >aw the 
moon's canoe glide away and out of sight. He was 
so full of fear and astonishm-nit thn' lie forgot com- 
pletely that he had come up the mountain to die a 
lonely death. So eager was he to tell his peo])le 
what he had seen that he rushed down the mountain 
side, leaping from stone to stone, like a young deer, 
and reached the vilhige, breathless. He told them 
that he had seen the moon's canoe ; but the people 
laughed at the wonderful tale, and said that he had 
drej med it, and his spirits were deceiving him. 

Early ne.xt day, when they awoke, what shonhl 
they see, lying in their harbour, but this wonderful 
canoe that the chief had seen. 

" Xow, then, did T not tell you the truth i Here, 
this canoo has come to visit us. Come, let us go and 
sec the moon's children." 

They were afraid, and called a council iiicotinii- to 
decide what had better be done. So, after much talk- 
iuii', thev deciih'd to scud twelve vniinii' men, wlio 



I 



55 

were pure in heart and body, to go and visit the 
moon's canoe. So a large war canoe was got ready, 
and these twelve youths stepped in. As they were 
pushing off, our friend jumped in. His curiosity 
was so great he could not resist the temptation of 
being one of the first to see these wonderful things. 
They paddled round this big canoe. It v;as so ]iigh 
and long! How could they get on it? So the moon 
children let down pieces of stirlf, like cedar bark rope, 
and made signs for them to catch liold of these ropes 
and come up. They did so, and wlien they reached 
the deck, the chief of the moon children came to 
meet them. He had a very white face and eyc-s like 
the blue skies, and hair like grass when it is yellow. 
He made signs to them not to be afraid, and made 
tbem sit down, and placed before them blight, sliin- 
ing dishes, filled with blood and bones, and made 
signs for them to eat. They shook their heads and 
talked among themselves, asking, how could they eat 
such stuff as blood and bones. Then one of the 
moon children took a piece of bone and thrust it into 
the blood and put it into his mouth and eat it. One 
of the young men took heart and followed his 
example. How good it was ! He told his com- 
panions to eat it, for, he said, " It is sweet, just like 
our mother's milk." So they fell to and enjoyed it, 
as they had never done anything before. 

After they had finished, the moon's people came 
and felt their dresses, which were made of sea-otter 
furs. The people seemed to like the feel of their 
clothes so much that one of the young men suggested 
that they make them a present of their furs. So the 
young men took off their clothes and laid them down 
on the deck, and made sis'ns that thev meant the skins 



56 

as a gift for the wonderful men. 2s ow the men took 
long sticks, and, pointing at a iiock of ducks Hying 
overhead, a loud noise was made, and smoke came 
pouring out of the fire-stick. The poor fellows fell 
down and were almost beside themselves with fear. 
The men then picked up a duck that had fallen on 
the deck, and showed it to them. The young men 
were struck with wonderment, and made signs that 
they wished to have a fire-stick. The moon people 
made signs that they would give the fire-stick for furs, 
so some of the young men went ashore and told these 
things, and they were laden with bales of sea-otter 
skins, which they took to the ship, and laid dovm by 
the fire-stick, which was held up as a measure. Then 
they were given the fire-stick and shown how to 
handle it, and great was their satisfaction. 

" Now we have something better than our bows 
and arrows, and can kill all the bears we need." 

The chief was given the moon dishes, which he 
hung up afterwards in his lodge. How brightly they 
shone, and were just as round as the moon. 

This Avas the first time that they had seen white 
men, or tasted molasses and biscuit, or handled a gun, 
or seen a tin dish. 



57 



FOLK LORE OF THE CREE INDIANS. 



As a little girl I used to listen to these legends 
with the greatest delight, and in order not to lose 
them, I have written down what I can remember of 
them. When written they lose their charm, which 
was in the telling. They need the quaint songs and 
the sweet voice that told them, the winter gloaming 
and the bright fire as the only light — then were these 
legends beautiful. 

MARTHA DOUGLAS HARRIS. 



WIE-SAH-KE-CHACK. 

In olden days a great flood came upon earth, and 
all the people were destroyed except Wie-sah-ke- 
chack and a few animals. They were on a raft. It 
was terrible. After a long time of it, Wie-sah-ke- 
chack said to the animals: " Which of you will go 
down and see if you can find the earth. Bring me 
a little and I will make a new world." 

The little water-rat tried, but he could not go far 
enough down; so the beaver offered to go; and. 



58 

after tying a long string to one of his feet, he sprang 
off the raft and down into the water. The string 
quivered, and at last stopped. '*Our brother is dead." 
So they pulled up the beaver, and sure enough he was 
dead, but in his paws he held a little earth. This 
AVie-sah-ke-cliack took and, blowing into the beaver's 
face, he came to life again. Then AVie-sah-ke-chack 
made a small ball of the earth, and kept blowing on 
it, and it grew larger and larger, till it was so large 
that he thought it u-as large enough for them to live 
on, so he asked the wolf to go and see ; but the wolf 
came back and said that it w'as not half large enough, 
so he kept blowing and the earth growing, and the 
second time the wolf went; but no, it was not large 
enough. The third time the wolf went to see, he 
never came back, so from that they knew that the 
world was big enough for all to live on. That is the 
beginning of the world. ^lany years after — I don't 
know how many, but long enough for the people to 
increase — Wie-sah-ke-chack was walking along one 
day singing his song — he always carried his song on 
his back — when he s^aw a man sitting on a log, taking 
out his eyes and throwing them up in the air. He 
stood and looked with astonishment at this wonderful 
thing. He then shewed himself and asked what his 
bi other was doing. 

" Oh," said the man, "" my head was aching, and 
this is the way I cure myself." 

" Oh, please show me, too." 

" Remember," said the man, after shewing Wie- 
snh-ke-chack how to do the trick, " only do it when 
your head really aches ; if you do it when it docs 
not, you will lose your eyes." 

He promised faithfully, so tlioy parted, and Wie- 



59 

sali-ke-chack was all impatience to try the new 
remedy. At last he got a headache and then joy; lie 
could throw his eyes up in the air. " How much bet- 
ter I feel now," said he, after playing a long time wiiii 
his eyes. Then he want, on his journey again, but 
still longing to try again. At last ho could not resist 
the temptation, and, sitting down, exclaiu>ed: * AViiat 
a headache I have; how lii I foei" — ail make believe. 
So out came his eyes, aiii for several tiijics they 
dropped into the sockets safely. At last they fell on 
the ground and were snapped up by a white fo.x, who 
had been watching liim. How Wie-sah-ke-chack cried 
and lamented the loss of his eyes, when suddenly he 
felt a sharp prick on his poor empty eye-sockets. 
" Who is trying to hurt me, now that I have lost my 
eyes ? If I catch him I will kill him." 

Then the pricking still went on, till he was pei- 
fectly frantic. At last he caught the white fox by 
his leg and held him up and threatened to pull him to 
pieces. The fox prayed him to let him go, "' for," said 
the fox, "' I will take you to a place where you can get 
some pitch and make eyes for yourself." 

Wie-sah-ke-cluick would not let the fox go, but 
tied him with a cord, so the fox led him to an old pine 
tree, and there he found good white pitch and made 
eyes for himself ; but his eye-lids were always red, 
and that is the reason why old people get red eyes 
from Wie-sah-ke-chack. 

After his eyes were restored, he went on and saw 
a 1 eaver lying asleep, and he ran and caught him by 
the tail, and put his lire-bag on a tree-limb overhang- 
ing the water, and forgot it there. The beaver he tied 
to his back and went to make a fire and cook the 
beaver. Presently the beaver gave him such a slap 



60 

with his tail, and then another, that Wie-sah-ke-ehack 
was glad to let him go. "Xow, where is my fire-bag'^" 
So he went back to where he had found the beaver, 
and there, in the water, was the bag. How was he to 
get it 'i At last the beaver got there, and laughed ut 
him. "J^ook up, you stupid, and see where it is; but 
you won't make a lire for me to-day." 

So Wie-sah-ke-cliack had to go hungry. He pulled 
in liis belt. He was so famished, and he was 
walking on very sadly when he came across a 
beautiful deer. '' Now, here is my meat." Then, 
calling to the deer, he said: '' Good day, brother; let 
us play a while, and do you pretend I am going lo 
shoot you, but I'll only pretend." 

So the deer began to run up and down, tossing 
his beautiful head and springing in the air; 
the arrows would fall short, and Wie-sah-ke-chack 
would pretend to be vexed. At last he aimed at the 
deer's heart and shot at his poor brother and killed 
him. Now what a feast he would have ! So, skin- 
ning the deer and getting the fire ready and cutting 
the choicest bits and putting them on la pola sticks to 
broil before the fire, he did not know if he had better 
sleep first or wash first, so he said he would sleep after 
the feast. So he went to the water-side, and, bathing 
himself carefully and combing his hair, at length he 
Avas ready, and how good the meat smelt ! So, going 
to two pine trees that were growing out of one stem, 
he got between them and told them to squeeze him 
till his appetite was better. The trees began to 
squeeze hini gently, but firmly. Now, this good smell 
of cooking had brought all the animals to the feast, 
and they began, without ceremony, to eat the feast. 
" Stop! Stop! That is my feast. Here, let me go!" 



61 



but the trees held him fast, and in his anger he broke 
ail the branches he could reach and threw them at the 
animals. At last everything was eaten, and the bones 
picked cban, and the fire put out, and the uninvited 
guests dispersed, when the trees let him loose. These 
trees are called Wie-sah-ke-chack trees, as they pun- 
ished him for his greediness. Is ow he fumed and 
raged, but to no purpose. Going along, he found 
a man who was hunting, but this hunting 
was new to Wie-sah-ke-chack. The man had a num- 
ber of little men who hunted for him, and they had 
killed a large deer. He opened a large sack and called 
the little men to come back, and they all stepped into 
the sack, and he shut it up. N'ow, Wie-sah-ke-chack 
stepped out and said: '' Good day, brother. What 
are you doing here ? '"' 

" Oh, I am just hunting." 
" And what have you in your bag ? " 
" I have my little men, and they hunt for me." 
" Oh, how I wish I could have some hunters, too." 
" Well," said the stranger, " I'll be glad to give 
you some; but when you are hunting, don't let the 
little men go out of eight, or you ^\dll lose them." So, 
giving Wie-sah-ke-chack some men and picking up the 
deer, the stranger disappeared. 

How happv was our friend, and he strode off into 
the woods, quite happy. Presently he came into .i 
large open glade, and there he saw a deer grazing, so 
opening the sack, he let the little men out, and they 
ran and shot the deer. He was so busy with the deer 
that he forgot to call the little men back, and they dis- 
appeared, and he was inconsolable. So he cooked his 
deer and ate it; and the next day, shouldering bis 
sack, off he went. 



<)2 

The birds had ail assembled before winter. They 
had called a nieetiiig, and after the meeting they were 
to have a dance ; but there was no one to sing for 
them, when suddenly they saw Wie-sah-ke-chack com- 
ing. AVhat calling and shouting ! *' Come here, 
Wie-sah-ke-chack; how glad we are to see you, for 
we are going to have a big dance to-night, and v.e 
want you to sing for us." 

" Hey!" cried he: *' why, ycju have nothing ready 
for your dance." 

" AVell, what must we do ( " 

" First of all," said he, " you must build a big 
lodge, and put a division in the middle of it, and by 
and by the fat birds must dance on one side and the 
lean ones on the other, and then I must paint you." 

So they were ail busy, and after the lodge \\a.< 
made, they came to be painted. Out of the sack the 
paints came, and the swan was the first to get ready; 
so AVie-sah-ke-chac'k painted him all white, with black 
feet and nose. How beautiful he looked. Then the 
wood-duck, with all his lovely colours on. It wns a 
rare sight to see these painted birds. Well, wliou 
they were all ready the fat birds went to one side and 
ihe lean to the other, and then they were told to shut 
their eyes while they danced. Such line songs Wie- 
sah-ke-chack simg! I have forgotten them now, so [ 
can't tell you how they went. By and by the noifse 
of the dancing became less and less, and at last La 
Pooldo, the little water-hen, o])ened her eyes — and 
what should she see but Wie-sah-ke-chack killing her 
people and throwing them outside — only the fat ones, 
of course. So she got near the door and then shouted. 
"Wie-sah-ke-chack is killing us!" and as she ran 
out of flic door lie stepped on her back and almost 



63 

broke it, and that is why the water-hen is now so 
clumsy w^hen she walks. Then the dance broke up, 
and the birds that were left flew away. ^o\v, there 
was a fine beach there — a long stretch of lovely white 
sand — and Wie-sah-ke-chack thought he would make 
his feast there, so he buried the birds, with their legs 
sticking up, and built a big fire over them. Then he 
lay down and slept, and wdien he awakened he w^ent 
to bathe and refresh himself. What a fine appetire 
he had, and how he would enjoy himself after all the 
hard work! So, scraping the ashes away, he pulled 
up the first bird, and only legs came up — no body at 
all. Well, the fire must have been too hot. Then 
he tried the next bird, and the same thing happened; 
so he ran along, pulling up his feast, but nothing but 
legs came. Then he knew his feast had been stolen 
from him. It seems that the foxes had come down 
and eaten all the birds up whilst he slept, and then 
stuck the legs back again so as to deceive Wie-sah-ke- 
chack. 

There are other adventures, but they are not clear 
in my mind, so I will not write them. The legend is 
that the person who can tell all about the adventures 
of Wie-sah-ke-chack will live to be very old. So I 
leave my story, with great reluctance, owing to my 
inability to remember more, and having to face a 
short life in consequence. 

These stories lose so much in the writing. 



M 



THE S'rOKV OF THE FOUR WINDS. 



In a village by the river there lived a very hand- 
some young man, Avho was content to live with his 
sister and employ his time hunting. His sister was 
very industrious, and put up many things for the long 
winters. She was very plain, and no one cared to 
marry her, though she was known to be so good and 
clever. One day the said to her brother : " My 
brother, you must now think of getting a wife. The 
girls are all dying of jealousy when you go to see 
them. Now, please choose one and bring her home."' 

" AVell, sister, you ask me a hard thing to do, for 
I don't like any of them ; but if you say I must 
marry, well I liave to obey you. Xow, when they 
come to see me in the lodge, the one that is able to 
hang my blanket on the sunbeam and then see me — 
for I shall be invisible to everyone except you — I will 
niarr}'." 

*' Well, you have given them a hard task, but I 
will call the girls ^"O-niorrow." 

So he went to innate all the girls to come to see 
her brother, who, she said, was going to choose a wife. 
What excitement reigned ! The next day early the 
pretty girls went in, one by one. " Take this blanket, 
sister, and hang it on this sunbeam." 

The girl tried her best, but it was impossible 
to do it. 

" Xow, sister, do you see my brother ? " 

The poor girl had to say no. Then all the girls 
were tried, but none could see him or ])iit the bhmket 




(Copyrifjhted.) A VERY HIDEOUS OLD WOMAN 

SKILLED IN MAGIC. 



66 

on the sunbeam. Now, there lived in the village a 
very hideous old woman, skilled in magic, and when 
she heard that the girls had all been refused, she was 
angry and went oii" to the young man's lodge. When 
the sister saw her come in, she knew it was all u[) with 
her brother, but she said: " Good day, sister; can 
you put the blanket on this sunbeam ^ " 

" Yes, indeed I can," so she immediately hung the 
blanket up. 

" Now, sister, do you see my brother i " 

" Hey! Of course I do; there he sit:-, dressed in 
a green coat made of ducks' necks, and a ca]) of ijic 
swans' breasts." 

So the young man lamenteil his stupidity in ref u.s- 
ing the pretty girls and having to marry this hateful 
old thing. Marry he had to, but with very bad grace, 
'i'he next day he went out hunting, and she went with 
him to bring homo the meat, and when far away he 
turned on her and killed her and cut her to pieces and 
A\('nt home. The next day he went out again, and 
who should he see but his wife coining tc-^-ards him, 
singing to a child. '' See our child ! " she cried, and 
he had to go to her. It seems that during the struggle 
he had lost some fringe off his coat, and out of this 
she made a child. So he tried to kill her again; but 
{ifter a long struggle she was the victor, but before he 
(lied: ''Never let our daughter stoop down to the 
east when she goes to gather sticks for the fire." Then 
he died. The old woman went back to the village 
with the child, and lived with the young man's sister. 
She never would tell what had happened to hin\. She 
was very careful of the child, and as soon as she could 
run about, she told her never to stoop down to the 
east, where the sun rose from. What would happen 



&he could not tell. One day, when the girl was about 
sixteen, she went to gather ^vood, and forgot all about 
the caution, when she stooped down towards the sun. 
I'hen she was carried away and became the mother of 
the four winds. They all have names, but I have for- 
gotten them. 



THE EZ^CHAiS^TED BEAK. 

In a very large village there lived two sisters. 
Tliey had lost their parents when the younger child 
was 'but a babe and the eldest a chlhl of about twelve 
years of age. This good girl took entire charge of 
her little sister, and also worked for the women of the 
villag-e, and they gave her food in return for her help. 
When the little girl was old enough to play with the 
other children, her sister begged her never to play the 
game that the children were fondest of, and that was 
calling out, " Bear ! Bear ! " and frightening them- 
selves with pretending that they were being chased. 
So the little girl was very careful to obey her sister.^ 
as she loved her greatly; and when the game was to 
be played, she would run back to her sister. At length 
the children noticed it, and said: " Now, it is your 
turn to be bear." She begged them not to ask her to 
play it. Children are sometimes cruel, and they in- 
sisted on her taking her turn, so she had to submit or 
be cruelly used. Well, she went into the hiding place, 
and when the children shouted "Bear! Bear!" out she 
came, growling at them, and chased them and then 



68 

rail home to tell her sister \vhat she had been com- 
pelled to do. There, owing to this unfortunate game, 
when she reached home she found that her poor sister 
had been transformed into a bear, Tlie poor bear was 
cj ying at this horrid change, and asked her sister to go 
with her to the river side and live in a cave in the 
bank. They both wept together, and then they went 
to find this cave and make it their home. Then tlie 
people heard of the sister being clianged into a bear, 
and came and mocked the little sister, and out rushed 
the bear and destroyed many of the people. The rest 
got very much alarmed, and tried in many ways to kill 
the bear, but all th?Ar efforts were in vain. At last 
they tried making a lire before the cave's mouth, but 
she only rushed out and attacked liiem. They could 
not kill this enchanted bear. Thev Avaylaid the ])oor 
sister and asked her where the bear 1- -.'pt her heart. 

" Oh, I don't know; indeed ] don't," she would 
say. At last they insisted on her asking the bear 
where her heart was. So one evening she began ask- 
ing questions, and at last came to ask where the bear's 
heart was kept. " Xow, my sister, the people have 
told you to ask me." 

" Iso, sister, they have not." 

At last she told where her heart was. It was in 
her forepaw, in the little toe of it. So the next day 
when the little sister went to draw water, she was way- 
laid and compelled to tell where the bear's heart was. 

For many days the men were very busy makini; 
little sticks, pointed at both ends, and when they had 
finished they went towards the bear's cave, and stuck 
these sharp points into the ground, as closely together 
as they could. Then they shouted to the bear to come 
out, and roused the l)oar at once, who came rushing 



i 



69 



out, right on these sharp sticks. One pricked her little 
toe, and she fell dead, to the bitter grief of her 
yonnger sister. 



CllIS-TAPISTAQUHX, OR THE ROLLING 
HEAD. 



A man, his wife and two little sons went into the 
forest to hunt and hsh, so as to get sufficient food for 
the winter, the winter being very long and cold. 
The father was very fortunate in his hunting. Many 
moose had he killed, also ducks and geese in plenty; 
he had trapped plenty of beaver, otter and marten; 
their furs were for clothing. His wife, however, was 
a very lazy woman, and let much of the meat spoil. 
One day he asked his little children: "What does 
your mother do when I am away ? " 

" Oh, father, she leaves us and will not let us fol- 
low her. She goes far away, and does not come back 
till it is nearly time for you to come home." 

The father was very sad, and could not rest till he 
found out what his wife did during his absence. So 
the next morning he went off to see his traps, etc., but 
only went a little way, and then waited for his wife. 

"^Presently she came out, dressed in her best, and 
went towards the river. He followed her, and saw 
her stop at a very large stump and knock at it and say: 
'• I am here my friends; come out now and let us 

play." 

Then the stump became alive with snakes, large 



70 

and small. Then she laid down and let them orawl 
ail over her, and kept singing- and playing with them. 
The poor man was almost overcome with terror, bul 
tore himself away and made his plan how he was going 
to destroy this monster of a woman. So he shot many 
deer and left them and marked the places where they 
were hid, and went home. lie had killed some beaver 
and had taken their teeth with him, but left them in 
the swamps. In the evening he told his wife that she 
must get up early next day and go into the woods and 
bring back the meat and beaver. How cross she was ! 
She scolded her children and behaved quite rudely. 
!N^ext day she went off, and not long afterwards he 
w^ent to find the stump, and when he found it he took 
a stick and beat on it and said: " Come out, my 
friends; I am here now; come and play." 

Then the snakes all came out, and he began cut- 
ting them to pieces. He killed all of them except 
one little snake that managed to escape into its hole. 
He gathered all the blood of the snakes and took it 
home. At dusk the wife returned, very tired and 
cross. • He had cooked the beavers' tails, which are 
most delicious and a great dainty, and afterwards gave 
her to drink, but it was blood. She did not know it. 
He had told his children that he had killed their 
mother's friends, and that when she found out she 
would kill them all. " Now, listen, my children. 
You must run away from here as quickly as you can; 
and if you see your mother coming after you, you 
must throw this comb behind you.'' Then he gave 
them a wooden comb, flint and beaver's teeth. '* Al- 
ways remember and throw these things Ix'hind you 
and never in front." Then he lifted up the flap of 
the skin tent at tlie back, and told them to go that 



71 

M'ay. 'J'lie poor little fellows \\eiit oti" crying bitterly. 

Now, the mother, after eating and feeling better, 
asked where the children were. 

" Oh, they are watching for the stars, and will be 
in soon, so go to sleep. The next day he left early, 
but went only a little way, Avhen he saw his wife go 
(•lit. Presently she came back, raging. She had 
gone to the stump and found all her friends dead, and 
only one little one left alive, who told her that her 
hnsr^band had killed all his relations. When he heard 
her raging he returned and prepared for the death 
siruggle. Words cannot describe the awful coni.ict. 
At last he cut off her head and fled, with the body 
after him and the head rolling about looking for the 
children, and calling for them. At last she saw a 
crow, and asked the bird if he had seen w^hich way the 
cliildren had gone. 

" Oh, yes," said he; '' lift up the tent at the back 
and you will find their trail." 

So he flew down and picked up the tent, and out 
tlie head rolled. It went on and on till it nearly 
reached the children, who were terribly frightened. 
They threw the comb behind, and an immense forest 
s})rang up. !Now" the head was in despair, and asked 
everybody she met to help her. At last the fire helped 
lier and made a path for her through the forest. She 
llien rolled on and nearly came up to the children, 
when they threw the flint, and a great mountain rose 
up. Again she asked the birds and animals to help 
her. An eagle picked her up and carried her over 
and dropped her, and she went rolling on. 

At last the poor children saw her coming, and in 
their haste they threw the beaver's teeth before them, 
and a broad river appeared. Poor children, how could 



72 

thty cross this wide rivci- '. Tlu'v cried so bitterly 
that at hist a pelican that was tishiiic: near by, said: 
" Come, my [xxtr little children; fzct on my back and 
1 will cross you." 

'* Oh, grandfather, how kind you are." 
On the broad l)ack of the pelican they mounted, 
and he took them across the river. The head saw the 
children get on the pelican's back, but was too late 
to catch them. So when the pelican came back, she 
begged him to cross her too. At fii"st he would not, 
but at last consented, and after a good deal of troitble 
she got on the pelican's back. Just when they were 
in the middle of the river he made a dive after a fish, 
and the poor Chis-tapistaqnhn rolled into the water, 
wh,( re she became a sturgeon. The Indians Wvtn't 
eat the flesh of the sturgeon just where the head joins 
the body, for that is, they say, (Tiis-tapistaipihu's 
flesh. The poor children remained on the river bank, 
li^"ing as best they could, when one day a temanhous 
man came and carried away the eldest boy for his 
df.nghters husband. The ])(ior little l)oy was heart- 
broken at parting with his brother, but tin temanhoiis 
man turned the vounuer into a wolf. 



TJIK TWO .^KSTKRS. 

Fii the days of did, when the stars came down on 
earth and talked with men, two young girls lived. 
Tli(- eldest was a silly girl find :i regular tonnent to 
her younger sister, who was her «»p|)osile in oviry- 



73 

thing. One summer evening they went down lo the 
riverside, and, after bathing, ]aj down under a large 
tree and talked about many things. At last they 
spoke about the stars, and the elder began to say how 
she would like to marry that big shining star, and in 
fun the younger one chose the smallest star. Well, 
they fell asleep, and by and by awoke to hnd that the 
stars had come down as their husbands. The big star 
was a very old red-eyed luan, but the small star was 
ycung and handsome. So they were carried up to 
the sky, and the younger sister was very happy. The 
elder sister, however, was very miserable, and kept 
teasing her sister to find a way to escape. At last, 
after a great deal of trouble, the younger sister con- 
sented to leave her star husband ; so off they went 
to find some way of getting back to earth. They 
found a wise woman, who gave them a large basket, 
and, after tying theiu in and cautioning them not Lo 
open their eyes when she let them do\vn to earth, she 
bound their eyes, and, taking a long rope, opened a 
door in the sky and let them down. Now, the eldest 
sister, whose great fault was curiosity, wished 
to know why they were not to look as they 
were going down. Her sister begged her to keep 
quiet, or they luight get into trouble. She, however, 
insisted on seeing where they were going. As she 
looked they struck a tall tree, and there the basket 
stuck. 

" ISToAV, just see what you have done, you stupid 
girl. How are we going to get down ? " 

Thev could not move. They called to the animals 
that passed below, " Come and help us get down." 
They all refused but the carcajou. Before he 
came up he wanted them to promise that they would 



74 

luiii rv him. After a long time they consented to the 
pruput^ition. lie ehunbered up the tree and wished 
to take the younger sister down tii-st. 

" Oh, no ; you must take my eldest sister, or 1 
won't many you." So he was forced to take the 
elder down first. Then the young sister took her hair- 
string and wound it round and round the tree, and 
knotted it many times. Then the carcajou came to 
take her down. So they went on to his lodge, but 
before they readied the place the younger sister ex- 
claimed that she had lost her hair-string, and that she 
must have it. 

" Where did you lose it ? " 

'" How do 1 know { Please go and look for it." 

Carcajou went to look for it, and after a long hunt 
he found it tied at the top of the tree. In the mean- 
time the two sisters ran as quickly as they could, so 
as to escape from the carcajou, or wolverine. 
Towai'ds evening they sat down to rest, and they 
heard a baby crying in the woods. 

" Hist ! There is a child crying," said the elder. 
" 1 must g*) and find it." 

*' Xo, no, please don't go ; perhaps it is duly a 
trick of Carcajou." 

But this silly girl went off to look for the child. 
In a little while she came back with a child tied in a 
bef.utiful cradle, and she sang to it and kissed it, and 
mpde a great to do over it, when all at once she saw 
if change to Carcajou, who laughed liearTilv at them 
for tr^-ing to run away from him. 

'^ So you thought you could deceive me, but I tell 
you that I can turn myself into anything, and you 
can't escape me. Here, take your hair-string, and get 
my supper ready." 




(Copyrighted.) 



She Came Back with a Child Tied 
IN A Cradle. 



76 

" The sisters went to work cookiug the supper, 
and the younger one put in some roots that caused 
sleep. Tlie carcajou liked his supper, and then rolled 
olY into a deep sleep. 

*' Come, sister, let us be quick, for he will sleep 
for a ver}' long time, and let us run away." 

How fast they ran, scarcely stopping to take 
breath. At last they came to a large river. Now, 
how could they cross ? They called to the fish to 
come and help them, but they all refused. Just then 
a large drake Hew down and swam towards them, and 
asked them what they wanted. 

'' Oh, brother, would you be so kind as to take us 
across the river ? " 

" Well, I don't know ; what will you give me ? 
Will you marry me." 

They promised to be his wives. Then he crossed 
first one and then the other — he carried them on his 
back. He took them to his favourite swamp, and 
there gave them roots to eat. 

" Now, this evening I am going to a big dance, 
but I won't l^e away long, so keep up the fire and go 
to sleep." 

They promised faithfully. Then he bathed him- 
self and plumed each feather till he shone, and ])ut 
his song on his back, and off he flew. 

Then the young sister hunted fin* two rotten logs, 
so she might dress them as women. At last she found 
what she wanted, and dressed them, and lay them 
down, and off thev ran. By and by the drake came 
home and snuggled down l)etween his wives. First 
one would pinch him, and tlien the other, and so on, 
till he woke. ''Stop pinching me, I say ! " Then he 
would sleep, but at last the pinching became so hard 



77 



that lie awoke, and found that instead of women he 
was lying between logs, just full of ants. The women 
escaped and got home safely. 



THE ADVEXTURES OF HYAS. 



Once upon a time, in days when much magic wag 
the fashion, there lived a man who dealt in evil 
spirits, but he was a very plau&ible, smooth-speaking 
old person. He had two wives ; The first wife was 
now old, and had to do slave's work for the second, 
who had everything her own way. The first wife 
had an only son ; Hyas was his name, and she had 
prayed the good spirits of her tribe to bless and care 
for her darling. When the lad w^as about twelve 
years old, he was out in the ■\^'oods one day and spied a 
partridge nest full of young birds; he took it home 
with him for his small step-brothers and sisters to play 
with. When he reached home, he happened to meet 
his father's second wife at the door, who said: 

" What have you got tliere, Hyas ? " 

" Oh, nothing,'' said he. 
'" Let me see," and she snatched the nest and birds 
01 tl of his hands, and the little Ihings fle»v in her face 
and scratched her. Then she hegan to call Hyas 
navaes. 

" Well, you would see the partridges, and I 
brought them home for the children to play "with." 

" Never mind ; I'll tell your father what you 
hr.A^e done to me." 



7S 

At evening tlie I'allier ••anie hack Iruiu his hunt- 
ing, so tired, and the yonni; wife shewed her face ajid 
said: " See how your son, ihat uafefnl Ilyas, has 
seratched my face." 

The old man was very angry, and said: " Stof) ! 
Stop ! To-morrow I'll pay him for this ; keep quiet 
and you'll see what will happen." 

Early next morning the old uian called Hyas and 
said : " My dear son, yesterday I found a nest with 
red eggs in it, and I left them there, thinldng you 
wculd like to get them yourself." 

" Where ( Where < " cried Hyas, much excited. 
" I have always wished to find red eggs. How glad 
1 am that I shall at last see them." 

" AVell,"' said his father, come with me and I'll 
show you." 

So into the canoe they got and oft they went, 
Hyas first kissing his mother, but she wept, she was 
so sad, for she feared some evil would befall her 
son. For Hyas was her only stand-by, and 
hj would never let the young wife ill-treat her. How- 
(•''er, he would be home in the evening. 

Xow, the canoe was a mai>ic one, and all one had 
to do was to strike it and off it would shoot along the 
water, and when it slackened — whack I give it another 
blow, and that was all that was needed. At last, near 
( \ ening, they came to an island, right in the centre of 
the Avide river. * Xow, my son," said the father. 
" juui)) ;i'^li(iro ; tliis is the island wlicre T fonn*! the 
red ega's." 

" Thank yon, my father; T will n<»t be long," and 
Ifvas bounded off, so anxious to secure this great 
prize. Jnst as soon as Hyas had disappeared, the old 
man turned his canoe houunvard, and left his voice 




•■Ad' 



(Copyrighted.) Oh! My Father, Do not Leave Me Here 
TO Die. Come Back for Me! 



80 

btliind to speak to Hyas and lure liiiii further into the 
woods. Whack! and the canoe sped away, leaving 
poor Hyas. Hyas hunted, hunted everywhere, then 
cried to his father: " I can't hnd the red ones." 

" (-0 into the middle of the island ; there you 
will find them," answered the voice. 

So at it again, up and down through the little 
island, searched Hyas; but how could he find the 
eggs, as there were none there to find ( So, in de- 
spair, he at last came back to the water's edge. Ah! 
but where was the canoe ? Hyas looked and saw it 
far out on the stream, going ever further away from 
the shore. '' Father! Father! Come back and take 
me home." 

'' No, indeed, not after von scratched mv wife's 
face." 

"'Ko, no; I did not. She would play Avith the 
young partridges, and they scratched her." 

'' Well, stay where you are and die ; T am tired 
of supporting you," and swiftly the canoe carried the 
evil old man far away — far away home. 

Hyas threw himself down, crying. He could not 
swim that swift river. He had not tools to make a 
canoe with, so he gave himself up to despair. 

Hist ! A voice ! " Hyas, get up; don't en', 
and shoot one of the gulls that are flying about." 

At first Hyas would not move, but the voice kept 
calling: " Hyas, Hyas, take the gull's skin, and you 
can fly across the river." So at last he was persuaded, 
and, taking his small bow and arrows, he got up and 
started to shoot at the gulls. At last he killed one — 
a young bird — and skinned it, put it on and began to 
fly. He circled near the shore, but alas! it burst, and 
down fell poor Hyas. How he cried, but the voice 



81 

urged him again. "Hyas! Hyas! Shoot an old bird — 
a white one." So again the poor lad tried and man- 
aged to shoot a very large one. So with gTeat haste 
he skinned it and put it round his body and began to 
fly — this time across the river. When near the oppo- 
site shore the skin burst and he fell into the water^ 
but was just able to swim to shore. He thanked the 
spirit for helping him, and off he went. "Cliee ! 
Chee ! " he heard a voice calling, and, looking up, he 
saw an old squirrel, who said: ^'' Is that you, my 
grandson ? I heard that your father had left you on 
the island to die. How bitterly I have cried. You 
see my eyes are quite red with weeping." 

" Yes, grandmother, my father is a wicked man. 
Now, tell me how I may get home." 

" Come first and eat," said the squirrel, and she 
laid a large store of nuts and roots before poor Hyas. 
" The way is very long and full of your father's evil 
spirits, my grandson. You must try and kill these, 
and then you will get home. Take these shoes with 
you, and when in danger put them on, and you will 
be able to escape." 

She gave him a beautiful little pair of squirrel 
magic shoes, so that if he wished to escape from dan- 
ger all he had to do was to put them on and he would 
turn to a squirrel. He thanked her and went off. 

The next day he met a huge toad, who was wait- 
ing for him. This was one of his father's evil spirits. 
'' Good day. my grandson ; where are you going ? " 
she ci'oalved. 

" I am going home," said he. 

" The way is very dangerous, and I would help 
you; so take these j^hoes, and when you are in danger 
put them on, and you can become like me." If he 



82 

had once put on her slioes, he would have remained 
a toad. 

''TishI" said Hvas, scornfully, and stamped on 
the toad and crushed her flat. Walking on he came 
to a wide river. Now, how was he to get over ( He 
did not know, so lie must get some one to tell liim. 
Just then a little green frog appeared and said: "Hie I 
Is that you, Hyas < " 

'' Yes, I am Hyas." 

" I have been looking for you, for I heard that 
your father had left you on the island, and thai you 
had got ofl^. Now, I will help you. When you are 
in danger, use these little shoes I give you, and you 
will become like me." 

*' Thank you, grandmother ; but how am 1 to 
cross this river ? " 

" Well, we must ask your grandfather, the great 
sni.ke, what he can do ; he is very old now. Come, 
let us find him." So they A\-ent down to the edge of 
the river, and there, on the beach, they found a mon- 
ster snake lying; and, after much calling and poking 
with a stick to make him awake, he raised his head 
and asked why they (listrni'l)C(l him. 

" It is llviis, wlio wishes to cross," said the Hrtlc 
frog. 

"If it is lly;is, then, I will liclji him. See first, 
Hyas, if there are any ('h>inls in the sky." 

AVhcn Hyas said that the sky was clear, he said: 
" Now, put my liciid ill the water and get on my back 
and tell me how to go, for I am very blind: iind if T 
sh<ckeii s|»('e(l, strike my horns." 

So jlvjis |)iit the snake in the water and jumped 
on his bjick, and struek the snake's bonis. It sounded 
just like tlnmder. Ts'ow, Hyas had noticed a tiny 



83 



black cloud in the sky wlien tlie snake asked if tliere 
were anv ; but, thinking that so small a cloud was 
of no iinportance, he had said nothing about it. 
While the two were half across, the tmy cloud in- 
creased till it filled the sky, and then the thunder and 
liohtnino- began to dance the storm dance. VVliat 

is^'that, my son '^ Is it thunder I hear ? I am so 
deaf." 

" No, no, grandfather ; it is ^ just the sound that 
I mak(! when 1 strike your horns." 

When near the shore, suddenly the lightning and 
thunder struck the poor old snake and killed him. 
Hvas jumped ashore, weeping, because it was his 
fault the poor grandfather was kille<l. Weeping, 
Ilvas gathered in some cedar bark the blood ot the 
poor old snake and lay down beside it to sleep, hj 
aud by he heard scratching inside the l)ark, and when 
h.^ moved it, there lay a young snake. He was so 
pleased, and put the snake in the water and it swam 
away. So on Hyas went till he met a little white fox. 
'' Well, Hyas, so you have escaped. I am glad 
to see you. I am one of the spirits sent to shoNV you 
your way." 

" I thank you, fox." 

'^ ^ow, you must do all I tell you. Not far from 
here lives one of your father's bad spirits ; tie is a 
fair-speaking man, but will try to kill you. l.otore 
we reach his lodge, yon must !iide me m your coat, 
and don't eat anvthing he gives you, and don t sleep. 
So bv and by they came near the place, and Hyas Jml 
the little fox in his coat and went on; and, sure 
enouo-h there was a man sitting outside the lodge, 
who Jeemed so glad.to see Hyas. " Come m, my dear 



S4 

thiid) eoiiie iu ; you inuat be bo tired aud hungry ^ 
C'oiiie iu, aud i will alielter you for to-uiglit." 

iSo tiio uiau aud liyas weut into the lodge, where 
a fire was burning in the middle. Now, this man had 
a very sore leg — how nasty it was 1 may not tell. lie, 
however, was very pleasant to Ilyas, aud when all was 
ready he said : *' JS'ow, llyas, come and oat." But 
first of all he had squeezed his leg and put the poison 
in tlie food. The fox whispered : " J\lake believe 
th?t you are eating, and just drop the food down the 
inside of your coat, and 1 will eat it." The man was 
very lame, but also very pleasant. So Hyas pre- 
tended to eat, and said how delicious the food was, 
while all the time giving it to the fox. 

" A'ow, my son, you must be tired ; go yonder 
and lie down on those skins, and I will tell you stories 
till you go to sleep." 

"' Very well; I am tired, and I know I shall soon 
sleep,'' said Hyas, and he lay down on the skins on his 
side of the fire. Then the man commenced to tell 
him his stories. Every now and then he would cry, 
'' Hyas, do you skep ^ " and Hyas would say, '" Xay, 
Hum ! " and the man, finding Hyas did not sleep, 
would continue his story. At last the fox said : 
'' Don't answer him, but keep wide awake." The 
usual question, " Do you sleep, Hyas ? " met with no 
response ; but the man, to make sure, kept on with 
the story till Hyas began to snore. Then he jumped 
up, and, Tmbuckliug his bad leg, was just going to 
throw it on poor Hyas, when out bounded the fox, 
who seized the leg and shook it violently. Hyas, too, 
jumped up, and together they killed the man. How 
grateful Hyas was to the white fox. " Xow go, my 
sou, and be careful, for the next dancer will be 



gTeatei*. You will hear women laughing and singing, 
and they will ask you to play with them, but you 
must kill them, as they are your enemies." So saying 
he bid Ilyas good speed and disappeared into the 
woods, llyas trudged on, and the next day he heard 
great laughing. "'Ha! Ha! Ha!" Peeping through 
the bushes he saw two women sitting in a high swing, 
and they laughed to think Hyas was coming, and how 
they should kill him. They had killed many people 
on this swing. Just below it was a large flat stone, 
and here they upset their victims. Then, with much 
fuss and noise, M^hen Hyas shewed himself they 
rushed to him and desired to kiss him; but no, Hyas 
would not be kissed. 

" Come, Hyas, just get into the swing and let us 
swing you." 

" No, no," said he. " Let me swing you first. 
Both of you get in and I'll try." 

So, laughing greatly, they both got in, and Hyas 
pushed and pushed, and pretended they were heavy. 
" Hu-uh ! You are so heavy." All at once he put 
forth all his strength, and gave the swing a mighty 
push, and the two women went flying out and fell, 
crushing their heads on the flat stone below, on the 
place Avhere many other victims had died. So those 
enemies were destroyed. 

By the next day Hyas reached the place where 
the giants lived. They had a large dog, who took 
care of their hearts. He saw Hyas coining, and 
barked away like mad. " Hyas is coining — make 
ready for Hyas." Hyas then put on the shoes that 
his grandmother stpiirrel had given him, and when 
the giants came running out they saw nothing. So 
they scolded the dog, who still insisted Hyas was 



srt 

tfic-i-f". " Well/' said one giant, '" if vou Lave seen 
liini, l<i-iiiuiT<)\v yonr eyes will be red." So hack they 
Weill, t(t the lodye, and llyas shewed himself again 
to the don, who was harking furiously. A'ow, the 
giants kept their hearts in an eagle's nest on the top 
of a tall pine tree, whicli the dog guarded. So the 
next day, when the giants came out there, truly, the 
d<.>g liad seen liyas, for his eyes were very red. So 
they hunted and called for llyas, up and down ; hut 
lie had turned himself into an eagle's down, and 
floated up, up to the top »»f the pine tree where tiie 
giants' hearts were kept. Up, up, fl(»ated tin; down, 
then swiftly came down on one of the hearts and 
pierced it. I )o\\ n fell one of the giants with a loud 
groan, dead. Jhen there was great troul)le amongst 
tjiem, hut again IJyas flew up and came down with 
the sharp end of the feather on ancjther heart, and 
aiiother giant fell dead. At last he had killed tiiem 
all. Then he took their store of good things and 
went on. 

Xow, the fox had told him of the dangers he 
would meet with, and how he should overcome all 
his enemies, so llyas was well prepared. The next 
trial now came. 'I'owards evening he saAv a lodge, 
and, coming softly up, he perceived two hlind old 
^vomen sitting on either side of the door. They were 
talking about him and wondering when he would 
come. " Tt is ahout time for him to arrive," said one 
sister. So llyas quietly slipped in between them and 
sat down inside. Xow, round the lodge they had 
l)ags and bags of man'ow fat. llyas, going in, sat 
down l)y some of these bags. ''Xow," said one sister. 
" I'll go in and put the kettle on to boil, and if he 
coDies the water will taste of marrow, and perhaps 



87 

he will be here soon." So she went to work, and soon 
the water boiled, and Hyas stepped up and dropped in 
a sack of marrow. The old woman said : '' Let me 
see if Hyas has come." She tasted the water and it 
tasted of marrow. " Hyas, are yon here "i " Xo 
answer. " Hyas, are you here ? " Still no answer. 
Then she took a stick and began to poke about and 
count the bags; at last the stick struck Hyas. "Well, 
Hyas, so you have come. Welcome, welcome." And 
the two old wretches pretended to be so glad to see 
him, and gave him nice things to eat, and talked 
sweetly. At last he said he must go. Instantly they 
bared their arms, and out of their elbows were long 
bones, sharp as knives, and rushed to the door, to be 
ready to kill Hyas as he went out. He quick as 
thought took a bundle and put it on a stick and placed 
it between them. Then the fight began. Thinking 
they were hitting Hyas, the old wretches were strik- 
ing each other, and soon they fell over, dead. How 
Hyas laughed. " Ho-o-ho ! " He went on his ^vay 
rejoicing. Not long after lie heard a great noise, and 
as he came out of the woods he saw a great plain. 
Stretched across the plain was a string, held up at the 
ends of the world, and on it W(3r-3 liung bones — oJ), 
how many millions ! Deer bones, moose iiorns, elk, 
bieon, goat — everything— -jaw bones, tlng]i bonei-^ — 
too many to count. Tlie bones Avoiild come down and 
strike the earth — crasb!— and then would bonnd up 
into the air, and while l!n; bones were in tlie air tlie 
earth would open her mouth, and no one could ])os- 
sibJy cross. Oh, the din ! The horrid bones would 
drop down — crash! — all the time singing a wild song, 
"' We have come to eat you, Hyas I Hyas, we have 
come to eat you ! " and the earth would rumble and 



88 

howl frightfully. " Hyas, Hyas, we will eat you ! " 
Poor Hyas, what could he do ? Suddenly he spied 
an eagle flying towards him. '^ Uey, grandfather/' 
he cried, " o«n you help me ? " 

'' AVhat can I do, grandson ? " 

*' Oh, graiulfatlier, if you could hold up tlie stiing 
till the earth closes her nmutli, I could jump across." 

So Eagle swooped down and caught up the string 
of bones till the earth closed, and Ilyas jumped 
across. After some days' travelling he came near 
his old home, and all the birds began singing, " Hyas 
tucksin ! Hyas tucksin ! " and making a great noise. 
The poor old mother of Hyas came out of the lodge 
and she heard them. "Alas!" said she, " where is my 
poor son to come from ? He is dead this long while." 
But still the birds sang, " Hyas tucksin! Hyas tuck- 
sin ! " Then Hyas looked, and there stood his 
mother, in rags and \vith scars of bums on her face. 
He ran forward and took her in his arms, crying : 
" ]\rother, I am her^ ; look up. I have come back 
to you." 

" ]\[v son, my son ! " she cried for joy. 

" Tell me how my father has treated you since I 
have been gone." 

" Oh, T am a slave now, and they push me into 
the fire, and are very cruel to me." 

" Xow, I will be avenged," said Hyas. " Have 
thev a vouuiT child ? " 

'"Yes," said she. 

" Well, you must go in and ask ray father for 
some bear's grease for me, so that I may dress my 
hair, and if he refuses, ask to nurse the child, and 
Ttii'kc thf firr rfMl-h.it, an<l then throw the child in and 
run out to me. I am going to punisli thcin all." 



Now, by tliis time all the people heard how Hyas 
came back, and his father came rushing out to see if 
it were true. Then, calling the people to bring 
beaver and marten skins for Hyas to walk on. 

'' Tush ! " said he, kicking the skins aside, "■ I 
have walked so far without them. Do I need tnem 
now ? " 

The father knew now that Hyas was greater than 
he, and that his bad spirits had been killed, and he 
was afraid. The mother asked for the bear's grease. 

^' Tish! JSTo, indeed, I'll not give him any, so go 
and tell your son that he can do without." 

So the poor old woman went to the child and took 
it to nurse it, as it was crying. 

" Don't let her have the child," screamed the iius- 
band. '' She means mischief." 

" Let her have it," said the young mother, so the 
child was hushed by the old woman, who kept piling 
on the wood till the lodge was like a furnace. Then 
all at once she threw the child into the fire, and ran 
screaming to her son. He was waiting for her, and 
his father rushed out, but the fire had caught the 
lodge and burnt the inmates up. Then the village 
took fire and the people ran to their canoes. Hyas 
shot an arrow into the water and it began to boil, and 
their canoes were destroyed and they were drowned. 
Only Hyas and his mother were left alive. So he 
asked her what bird she would like to be, and she 
clcse the lark, and she then became one ; and Hyas 
turned into a beautiful red-breasted bird. So that 
was the end of all his travels and adventures. 



yf 



INDEX. 

Pages. 

The Story of the First Man on Earth 5-7 

yowittau, or the Grumbler 7-10 

The Story of the Flood by the Cowichan Indians 10-12 

History of the Covvichans 12-14 

The War Song 14-15 

The Story of Quamichan 15-17 

Scallighan ; or, the Thunder and Lightning Bird 17-22 

The Adventures of a Young Man with Crooked Eyes. . . .22-28 

The Story of Ten Brothers and the Sea Lion 29-33 

The Story of Semmelth 33-40 

Stetalht, or Spirit People 40-43 

Chee-Che-Ka, with Translation 43-49 

Chiltsop, or Fire Stick 49-51 

Children of the Moon 52-50 

Folk Lore of Cree Indians 57 

Wie-sah-ke-chack 57-()3 

The Story of the Four Winds 04-07 

The Enchanted Bear 07-09 

Chis-tapistaquhn, or the Rolling Head 09-72 

The Two Sisters 72-77 

The Adventures of Hyas 77-89 






V.R6 



s'l^ 



Oeacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing Agent: Magnesium Oxtde 
Treatment Date:,, . . ^ iQQ7 




BBKKEEPER 

PRESERVATION TECHNOLOGIES LP. 
1 1 1 Thomson Part^ Dnve 
Cranbeny Twp.. PA 16066 
(412)779 2111 



